Endeavour principal brings 10 years experience

By Matt Nagle

Fife Free Press
mattnagle@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: July 03, 2008

When the students at Endeavour Intermediate School return in the fall, they’ll be seeing a new face in the principal’s office. After serving an exemplary term as principal at the school, Jody Hess is moving on to other pursuits, and Kevin Alfano, assistant principal at Columbia Junior High, has been reassigned to assume Hess’ vacated seat.

“Jodi’s a tough act to follow,” Alfano said as he took a break from moving into his new office at Endeavour. Part of the closely-knit staff at Fife School District for the past decade, Alfano is well aware of Hess’ track record and the positive things she brought to the school. Now the wheel is in his hands, and Alfano said he is quite looking forward to the challenges and rewards that lie ahead.

He began a transition plan in May when he was notified of his new assignment, and first on the list was to meet with every teacher and staff member at Endeavour. “That process was just to listen to them,” he said. “I’m here to support the teachers in designing work that’s engaging and challenging to the students. I’m here to support them in that process...and in the good work they’re already doing.”

As there is no assistant principal at Endeavour, Alfano is the first and last stop for all things that fall under his executive authority. “I wear all administrative hats here. I’m everything when it comes to the students and the instructional leader for the teachers.”

During his career in education thus far, Alfano has held various positions in Fife schools. He started out teaching in the White River School District before coming to Fife at the beginning of the 1997-98 school year when he was hired to teach history and coach baseball at Fife High School. He remained there for five years, then he completed his Masters in education administration and moved on to be dean of students at Surprise Lake Middle School for four years, then to Columbia Junior High for a year as assistant principal. Now as principal at Endeavour, Alfano said he would draw from what he learned in these previous positions to achieve new levels of excellence for himself, the school and the district.

“I come from the high school and junior high, so I’m excited about working with this age group of kids because they’re excited about school.”

A quite affable man by nature, Alfano is not the type of principal that causes students to scatter in fear when he walks the hallways. “I’m a pretty easygoing individual, but I have high professional expectations. As a school, we are a strong pillar of the community, and so my professional standards reflect this.”

With two small daughters of his own, Alfano is kept busy when school’s out as well, as is his wife LeeAnn, who teaches English at White River High School. “We spend a lot of family time together,” he said, playing golf, reading books together and enjoying outdoor pursuits like running. An avid marathon runner, Alfano competed in the Boston Marathon in 2005 and participated in the 50-mile Rainier to Ruston last summer. “I’m kind of an extreme runner,” he said.

But for now, school’s out for summer and Alfano still has plenty of time to move into his new office and get settled before the first bell of the year rings on Sept. 2.

“I’m just really excited to continue my career in the Fife School District,” he said. “It’s a district I’ve grown to love over the 10 years I’ve been here.”

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