MOUNT SHASTA – Jennifer Mckinnon is the new principal at Mt. Shasta High School. McKinnon, who was the principal at Yreka High School for four years before migrating south, took a few minutes on Monday to talk to SiskiyouYouth.com about her new school.

Asked what she likes best about Mt. Shasta High, McKinnon was quick to answer.

“The people,” said McKinnon. “The students and the staff I’ve worked with so far are good. In education the things that you like best are the people. A lot of times it’s the students. But in my position, very often it’s the staff.”

McKinnon said that she is impressed that there is a lot of importance placed on doing well by both the staff and students. She also said that any changes made at the school would likely come as a result of input from her staff, students, and parents and believes that forming working relationships is important.

“I think there’s always room for improvement. That’s kind of what we do. I think that’s what everybody does, but especially in education. You’re reviewing what’s going on and trying to find what you are doing well, making sure you continue doing that. And, you’re also looking for some of the areas where you could improve. That’s an ongoing cycle,” said McKinnon. “Getting everyone’s input on what we need to do better is my job. It is to be open to what people are saying—to keep my door open.”

McKinnon has also been impressed by the amount and quality of parent and community involvement.

“This community is pretty lucky because there’s a whole group of people who think education is very important. We’ve really got a pretty good community for a model high school,” said the principal.

Mckinnon grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from Concord High School. She said that her high school math teacher and her mother, also a teacher, were the main influences in her decision to become an educator.

After graduating from the University of California, Davis with a degree in zoology and her teaching credential in life science and math, McKinnon started her career in education as a math teacher at Yreka High in 1978.

McKinnon later earned a masters degree in Educational Leadership from Simpson College, in Redding. She is currently working on her doctorate at U.C. Davis, also in Educational Leadership.

McKinnon took a break from teaching in 1981, to raise her son. She returned to YHS in 1995 and taught math for six years. She then became an education planning specialist (counselor/vice-principal) for four years, before moving into the principal position. McKinnon also taught math at the College of the Siskiyous for eight years, as adjunct faculty.