- James Kenan High School
- Principal, Mr. Holton
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FROM THE DESK OF...Michael HoltonPrincipalJames Kenan High SchoolTigers,Welcome to James Kenan High School, home of the TIGERS! I'm truly honored to serve as the principal at JKHS and proud to be a part of Tiger Nation. As an educator for over 31 years, and can honestly say our students and staff are the very best! Having served as a principal for the past 24 years, the 2023 - 2024 school year will mark my 14th year as principal at JKHS. When people ask me why I've stayed at JK for so many years, my answer is always the people. The JK students, staff and community love their school and take pride in its long history of success in academics, athletics and more. Calling yourself a "Tiger" means something in our community and that alone makes it a great place to call home. As "Tigers," we hold ourselves to high expectations and expect the very best from each student and employee. Just as I hold staff and students accountable to high expectations, in return, I pledge to give my all to JK, each and every day. As principal, I will always represent JK to the very best of my ability and provide our students, staff, parents and community with the leadership the Tigers deserve.During my time at JK, our staff and students have achieved a number of impressive accolades and recognitions that demonstrate the quality of our school and.In recent years, JKHS has exceeded NC growth expectations on numerous occasions and was recognized in the top 1% of NC schools for academic growth during the 2018 - 2019 school year. We tripled the number of students measured by the ACT as "college ready" in 2018 and improved our cohort graduation rate by 10% in 2019, graduating 80% of our seniors, the highest percentage in school history. In 2016 JKHS was recognized by the NC State Board of Education as a "STEM School of Distinction," one of only two traditional high schools in the state to achieve the honor that year. We believe our mission is to prepare students for success in college, careers and life.It goes without saying, but our number one goal is to "open doors" for our students and help them realize their lifelong goals. We are committed to providing our students with the resources, structures and supports they need to achieve success in high school and beyond graduation. We welcome the support and involvement of our parents and community, understanding the pivotal role they play in increasing our capacity to provide the best education we can possibly provide our students. We value our relationship with our community partners and view them as critical to our students' success.As students return to school and take the next step towards graduation, I encourage them to think about their future and the opportunities we offer that best align with their personal goals. We want our students academically focused and involved in school organizations, clubs and athletics. JK offers students a variety of opportunities to grow and develop in all areas. We hope all students arrive this year with the desire and determination to make this your best year yet! I wish you much success and look forward to working with you throughout the year! GO TIGERS!!!
Sincerely,Michael HoltonEmail: mholton@duplinschools.netPhone: 910-293-4373Fax: 910-293-6744
Last Modified on January 17, 2024