Kristy Grinnell, 36, will be joining Klahowya Secondary School in fall as its newest assistant principal.Klahowya Secondary School houses grades 7 to 12.

“I’ve heard so many good things about Klahowya and the community,” Grinnell said. “I can’t wait to be part of that family they’ve created,” Klahowya principal Ryan Stevens said as assistant principal, Grinnell will help oversee the athletics department, student discipline and staff evaluations.

Grinnell replaces Zak Palsha, who’s leaving to become principal at Crown Hill Elementary in Seattle.Stevens said patience and good communication skills are important qualities in Grinnell’s new job.

“We’re extremely lucky to have her with us,” Stevens said. “I look forward to many years with her on staff.” Grinnell grew up in Las Vegas and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Colorado.

She returned to Las Vegas and spent a few years working as a chemist, but decided she was unsatisfied. Grinnell comes from a family of teachers.”I wasn’t used to being at a job by myself, so I went back to school and got my teaching degree,” she said.

Grinnell obtained her teaching certificate and a master’s degree in administration from the University of Phoenix in Las Vegas. She went on to teach middle- and high-school science courses, and moved to Washington and became dean of students at Federal Way’s Todd Beamer High School two years ago.Now, she finds education much more fulfilling.”I get to interact with people, do a ton of different things every day…it’s a much more satisfying place to be,” she said.