Being a school principal is not easy. It requires a person who can multitask, prioritize important meetings with people, and someone who will sacrifice a lot of family time for the school. Cashmere High School found that person in Principal Mr. MacKenzie.
Mr. MacKenzie came to the Cashmere School District in 2021. He said “I came to the Cashmere School District to see if my vision of school could function in a smaller school setting. I came from a school of over 1300 students, and was frustrated by the limited number of connections I made with students. I also wanted to lead in school, where I could use my Spanish speaking skills daily. Beyond that, I love Central Washington and wanted to return after 20 years living and working in Rhode Island.”
It can be hard for principals to connect with students, but Mr. MacKenzie has a strategy. He says,“Learning about your personal interests as students, and sharing my own life story, helps to bridge connections. I like to think about myself as approachable, and when I see students energized by what they are doing or learning, I like to connect with them to share their joy. Even when students make mistakes, the opportunities I have to share perspective and grace, or in some cases, an unfiltered truth, can be the foundation of relationship building.”
Staying motivated and energized, especially as a principal, has a lot to do with who he or she has as a team. The help from Mrs. Carlson and Mr. Groce push Mr. MacKenzie. He says, “I love our team- that includes students, staff and the incredible support we get from families and the community. Learning and working at CHS is a very personal experience, and I feel a strong sense of responsibility to continue and build upon our traditions of excellence and to bring positive energy to work daily. Even on days involving challenging situations, it’s always interesting!”
Being the principal of a high school can have a lot of benefits. Mr. MacKenzie says,
“The part of my job I love most is seeing students take advantage of the many opportunities CHS offers to learn, grow, fail forward, and ready themselves for their Next Big Move. Graduation, especially now that I’ve led for all four years with our graduates, is always special. Many of our teachers do a great job of sharing with me student successes in their classrooms, sports, clubs, or programs that I might now be aware of, and I love to connect with those students to recognize their growth or success.”
Riley Acheson, a CHS student, said about Mr. MacKenzie, “I think Mr. MacKenzie is a great principal. He has always been reasonable and supportive of Cashmere and its students. Both him and Mr. Brown have been extremely helpful and encouraging in my experience, and truly want the best for this school.”
Mr. Eygabroad, a first-year newcomer to CHS think Mr. MacKenzie has many great qualities. He said, “Mr. MacKenzie is extremely involved in the school and the community. His involvement and the time that he puts in is something that helps make Cashmere successful. I think he does a great job of not only building relationships with his staff, but with the students as well, going to outside events, soccer games, volleyball, being really involved.”
Being a good principal also comes with making connections with students and staff. Mr. Eygabroad says he connects with Mr. MacKenzie through sports. “I would say basketball is one of our main connections. Mr. MacKenzie used to be a basketball coach himself, so we have conversations about basketball, students, and how they’re doing, how my start at Cashmere High School is going, and how he can help me make it easier.”
Mr. MacKenzie found exactly what he was looking for in his job at Cashmere High School. He says, “I’m Blessed to be here. I don’t take it for granted. I wake up every day grateful for the opportunity to lead an amazing staff and student body in this very special place!”
