I appreciate the community’s passion for Kent County Public Schools and concern for our students. We all want the same thing: high levels of achievement and opportunities for every child.
However, there are several factual inaccuracies in recent statements that should be addressed.
As the principal of Kent County High School, I can tell you that Kent County High School cannot house an additional middle school grade level during a renovation. We currently serve 515 students, not 470 as has been reported publicly. In fact, we experienced enrollment growth during the 2025-2026 school year and are expecting additional growth again during the 2026-2027 school year.
Every instructional space in our building is currently being utilized. Kent County High School is a comprehensive high school with numerous specialized spaces that cannot simply be converted into general education classrooms. Three wings are dedicated to Career and Technical Education programs, including broadcasting, construction, automotive technology, and culinary arts. We also have science laboratories, world language classrooms, a media center, an auditorium, band and theater spaces, athletic training areas, and administrative offices. There are no empty classrooms available to accommodate an additional 125 middle school students.
Adding one additional grade level would require multiple classrooms for English, mathematics, science, and social studies. Those classrooms simply do not exist.
Please help spread accurate information regarding enrollment and facility capacity. If anyone has questions about enrollment or demographics, I am always willing to share the data.
I agree that academic achievement must remain our top priority. We cannot ignore those results. At the same time, a new middle school building is not being proposed as a solution to academic proficiency. Academic improvement requires strong leadership, effective teachers, high-quality curriculum, targeted interventions, family engagement, and high expectations for all students.
At Kent County High School, we continue to see areas of success while also acknowledging areas where improvement is needed. Our English Language Arts proficiency rate is approximately 64%, placing us among the stronger performing high schools in Maryland. We continue to focus intensely on mathematics achievement, recognizing that math proficiency has declined not only in Kent County, but across Maryland and throughout the nation. We have implemented both short-term and long-term plans to improve student outcomes and will continue to do so.
Questions have also been raised about whether our graduates are prepared for life after high school. While there is always more work to do, the accomplishments of the Kent County High School Class of 2026 tell a much different story.
Of our 120 graduates, 70% are continuing their education through two-year colleges, four-year universities, or trade schools. Another 26% entered the workforce directly, and 4% chose military service, including service in the Air Force, Marines, and Navy.
Our graduates completed 141 Advanced Placement courses and 169 dual enrollment courses through Chesapeake College and Washington College while still in high school. Three students earned at least 24 college credits and maintained a college GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Sixty-three percent of graduates completed one or more Career and Technical Education pathways, with several students completing multiple pathways. Thirty-five students participated in internships with local businesses and organizations, gaining real-world experience before graduation. Several students were offered continued employment opportunities as a result of those internships.
Twenty-nine students completed the STEM Academy, 63 students were dual completers in both world language and CTE programs, and 34 students earned the Certificate of Merit by maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA while completing rigorous coursework.
Eighty-one percent of graduates participated in extracurricular activities, demonstrating the importance of involvement beyond the classroom. Eight students earned the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy, recognizing proficiency in two languages.
The Class of 2026 also completed 13,365 hours of community service and earned more than $3 million in scholarships.
Are there academic challenges we must continue to address? Absolutely. But to suggest that our graduates are not prepared to succeed beyond high school ignores the many success stories taking place every year in Kent County Public Schools.
Our students are achieving in college, careers, the military, and the workforce, and we are incredibly proud of them.
Investing in modern educational facilities and investing in academic improvement are not mutually exclusive. We can and must do both. Research consistently shows that modern facilities positively impact attendance, teacher recruitment and retention, student engagement, school climate, and safety. In addition, studies have demonstrated that renovating the current middle school to modern standards and bringing it “up to code” would cost more than constructing a new facility.
Kent County has not built a new school in more than 50 years and more. Our students deserve facilities designed for today’s educational programs and tomorrow’s workforce needs.
I invite anyone who has questions about enrollment, facilities, or our educational programs to visit Kent County High School. I am happy to provide a tour and discuss the facts. Productive conversations begin with accurate information.
~ Kris Hemstetter
Principal, Kent County High School
khemstetter@kent.k12.md.us
10 Responses
Principal Hemstetter, well stated and defended.
Thank you so much for this clarification, Principal Hemstetter, and thank you for all you do for the Kent County community. Keep up the good work!
Dear Kris, I have visited your school and had your tour. It was terrific and I was impressed by all that you and your colleagues are achieving for and with Kent County students. I encourage everyone to go for a visit. .
And thanks for the facts and the professional guidance. . Extremely helpful.
Rick Balaban
I completely agree with Mrs Hemstetter. As a former graduate of KCHS, we really do shine when it comes to our CTE programs and I for one am currently attending a four year college. To say that graduates are not prepared is simply inaccurate. I remember that every single classroom was always full and we most certainly would not have had space for an entire grade of middle schoolers. And since enrollment is going up, the high school simply cannot accommodate another grade. We have exceptional teachers and incredible programs. And Mrs Hemstetter is completely right when it comes to the middle school itself. It is more costly to bring it up to code rather than just build a new one. You can’t honestly expect students to do their best and actually want to be in their classrooms learning when the building has plumbing issues can you? The middle school is old and outdated and I’d highly recommend those who are opposed to do some serious research on the impact of outdated buildings on student and faculty morale.
KCHS was built for 1200 students, maybe you need to temporarily rearrange to accommodate the middle school students.
A large part of the high school are specialized spaces. Yes they have the square footage for the middle school, but you cant move or condense the auto shop, wood shop, and other specialized spaces. It’s a difficult situation, but to remove and restructure those specialized spaces would then impact the high school students in those programs.
Its a complex situation. I have no love of the middle school, my son went through it. Its sad and dismal. Not much more to say.
He did say that every space was being used. That means that a room that is a shop class should not house middle school students.
The new middle school is an investment in Kent County’s future and one we need.
Larry who?
Well stated, Kris! Any students who wants to can get a great education at KCHS. Anyone who has taught there can list myriad students with amazing accomplishments and successful careers.
Most of what everyone stated is respected and valued. Let me ask this; A mom comes home from work, cooks dinner, she and her husband sit to have dinner with their ( lets say 4 kids), as they finish dinner, Dad opens and goes through the mail, he has to write a check immediately for ( lets say) $1000, with a note that says (School Tax). Do you think he will smile and say ( this is a check well worth it) ? Thats whats going to happen if the school is built and the Tax Bills start flying. On another note; Most of the statements are well stated, however, some of the particlulars might be off center a hair, maybe mis information, maybe not. However, lets state another scenerio; Two lawyers arguing to the court will have different views, Both wanting to win for their client. They will use different angles and approaches to get the verdict that they want. Although you have two parties, Dem vs; Rep, Both are going to give two different views. Yes we have to protect the Children and give them positive morale, Build them, promote them, let them rise, after all, one day they will be caring for us seniors, making the decisions they find best. However, back to the basic Question; Why havent these schools been maintained and kept up? Will it happen with a new school as well? How will the Millions be paid back on that Loan that the County will be expected to pay? How about Janitors and maint techs? Maybe their morale needs to be built up as well, Howa about Paying a little more, to help those hard working employees that matter. Please digest and lets come together with the best decisions. I’ll rest my case.