By Andru McCracken

Until June end, Dan Kenkel is serving double duty as principal in both Valemount and McBride while principal Rick Thompson is away.

McBride Secondary School teacher Jennifer L’Arrivee said that the school is coming together in the absence of principal Rick Thompson who is away on sick leave.

“We’re hoping that he is okay,” said L’Arrivee. “The teachers wish that he makes a full recovery.”

Kenkel said he is helping out with budgeting and timetabling for the New Year, and dealing with student discipline issues.

“They need someone there during the week to sign the paper work … I am there to back up the staff and to allow them as smooth a transition into next year as possible,” he said.

Kenkel said that as an administrator, sick leave isn’t always what it should be.

“Even when you are on sick leave, you can’t get away from your job. You take sick time and you still get emails, someone has to sign the timesheets… in a small town you can’t just walk away from it,” he said.

“It’s difficult for a guy with that level of commitment to the community to be able to take care of his health, when he is so concerned about what is happening in school.”

Kenkel said he was in a similar situation when his daughter had been gravely ill. “Until I turned it over to somebody I knew was competent to do it, I didn’t feel like I could actually leave my job behind for a while. I know what that felt like,” he said.

Some people have expressed concern that this could be the end of having two principals in the two communities, but L’Arrivee said it was too early to tell what would happen next.

“For now we’re going to the end of June, so we don’t have that concern at the moment,” she said.

“The teachers are coming together and making sure that the last few weeks run smoothly with grad, award ceremonies, and exams.”