Entering her third year as principal at Emmaus High School, Dr. Kate Kieres brings a unique perspective to leadership and an understanding of what makes a 9th grade student successful. She began her career as a high school English teacher before moving into administration as an Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs at EHS from 2006-2011. She then went to Palisades School District to serve as a Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and later an Assistant Superintendent before coming back to this district. But not only does Dr. Kieres possess a bounty of educational knowledge through research and administration, she recently completed a first-hand version of living through her own 9th grade experience as a parent of a now-rising 10th grader. In this conversation, Dr. Kieres combines personal stories with practical advice to give both parents and students a real sense of what to expect as they walk through the doors to become the Emmaus High School Class of 2023.