Meet Nirmen Kamel — Alhambra High School's New Principal

After months of what Martinez Unified School District Assistant Superintendent Rick Rubino called an "arduous" search, a principal for Alhambra High School was approved Monday by the school board. Nirmen Kamel comes to Martinez from her current position as assistant principal of San Ramon Valley High School. 

Martinez Patch asked Kamel to tell our readers a little bit about her. Here is what she had to say.

Martinez Patch: When did you first come to the United States from Egypt?

Nirmen Kamel: I came to the U.S. in 1978 at a little over a year old with my mother, father and grandmother.

MP: What first attracted you to the field of education?

NK: I was first attracted to the idea of teaching when I became a volunteer debate coach at my high school while attending college. I had a wonderful high-school experience and enjoyed being able to give something back. After graduation I was planning on going on to law school, but was drawn into teaching by my former high school principal,  who asked me to apply for an opening in the English department. Best decision I ever made!

MP: What is your favorite subject?

NK: My favorite subject in school was competitive speech and debate. I entered the course a very shy and timid young lady. My high-school coach was amazing and he gave me a wonderful gift: my voice. I became a relatively successful competitive debater, but also a more confident person. My senior year was the last year he truly coached/taught debate. I decided to teach partially to be able to continue the program. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to continue his good work.

MP: What are, in your view, the biggest challenges facing public education right now?

NK: There are certainly many challenges facing public education today, almost all of them compounded by the budget crisis. Perhaps the greatest challenge, however, is the humbling task of preparing students for a myriad of careers that don't even exist today. It's estimated that for a student starting a four-year technical degree, half of what they learn in their first year will be outdated by their third year. It is a truly exciting time to be in education. We are rethinking all the rules and imagining how to apply tools that are still being invented. To make our kids competitive in the global market we have to dare to think outside of the model of education we have known for the last 80 years. There are many thousands of simultaneous conversations happening about how to do this — how to create a system that can work for all students. The real challenge will be to do it on a budget and in a way that doesn't allow any student to be invisible.

MP: What are you most looking forward to in your new position?

NK: Honestly, I'm really excited about meeting everyone. One of the things that really attracted me to Alhambra was the size of the school and how close the community is. Everyone I have met so far has been so warm and welcoming. I'm excited about the possibilities that exist in a school that is small enough to actually get to know every student and every family.