Get to know our Superintendent 

Mr. Kempenich grew up in Wagoner and graduated from Wagoner High School.  He has been married to his high school sweetheart Christa since 1997; they have two children, Jaxon and Gracie.  He attended the University of Oklahoma on a football athletic scholarship and was a starter on the 2000 National Championship.   Mr. Kempenich earned a bachelors’ degree  in Science of Education from the University of Oklahoma and then earned a masters’ degree in Educational Administration from Northeastern State University.  He became a principal in 2008 and moved into the superintendent’s seat in 2019.  In 2023 he became the Poteau Pirate Superintendent.  Mr. Kempenich was named District Superintendent of the year in 2024, his first year at Poteau Public Schools.  

Mr. Kempenich was asked how he plans on leading Poteau into the future and this was his response:  

“Leadership, communication, and trust are a necessity when you have a group of people who are attempting to reach a common goal or vision.  I am a goal driven person and enjoy the process of improvement and goal achievement.  I believe that the best way to motivate a group of people to a desired goal is to build relationships and lead by example.  Poteau has great employees and teachers  that truly care about students.  It is easy to lead by example when we have so many leaders in our district that are focused on doing what is best for the students of Poteau Public Schools.“ 

“Poteau will continue to improve as we look to provide top notch benefits to our employees and improve our facilities so they mirror the pride our community has for the Pirates.  I enjoy the process of managing our district needs in a way where we can maximize our resources.  We have a capital improvement committee that is looking towards the future and being proactive in our schools to make sure we can provide the best facilities, opportunities, and education to “Every Pirate, Every Day.”