At 6’6”, KMS Principal John Arnold is easy to spot but hard to find. He’s constantly on the move, spending his days on the ground with students in the classroom and in the hallways, and his nights supporting them at their games, concerts, and after-school activities.
“I’m not in here a ton,” said Principal Arnold, gesturing to his office. “I’m at the volleyball game, on the football field. I make sure to get out to all of those, I want parents and kids to know that I care about what’s going on.”
Mr. Arnold’s top priority since stepping into the principal role has been supporting students and staff by building on what’s already working. Now in his second year with the district, after a year as assistant principal, he’s focused on stability over sweeping changes.
“My goal and focus was to not overwhelm my staff. What I mean by that is oftentimes in education, there’s always these big, grandiose new programs to adopt and learn, but I wanted to build on the momentum we created last year,” said Mr. Arnold.
That momentum includes the Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) system, introduced last year by the administration and counselor Olivia Bradford. The program rewards students for good character with “Stag Tags” that can be redeemed for prizes or unique experiences. Quarterly Celebrations feature dance parties, games, and field trips to recognize students who consistently model positive behavior.
“I've had a lot of staff come up and just say, ‘hey, it feels really good right now. The hallways feel good. The kids feel more positive. They're more disciplined, they're more respectful,’” said Mr. Arnold.
Mr. Arnold’s career in education has taken him to jobs in the Grand Rapids area and in Florida, and he’s also spent time as a safety consultant and instructor in the oil and gas industry, working on a platform in the Gulf of Mexico for nearly two years.
“I also worked as an auto sales rep. I’ve learned a lot of things and hopefully those experiences lend themselves to being, hopefully, a good leader,” said Mr. Arnold.
“I’m really appreciative that Kingsley took a chance on me, because I think that education is where my skill set is, and I feel like this is where I am most comfortable. I love being part of the Stag family.”