Written by: TFV-PR • February 27, 2024• In Our Schools

Meet Ms. Nemec, Palmetto Elementary School, Assistant Principal

By Judy Sanchez

This fall, Palmetto Elementary welcomed Ms. Kristen Nemec as their new assistant principal. An educator for over 20 years, with a decade of experience as a curriculum coach as well, Nemec is so excited for her new role in administration.

Raised in Miami-Dade County, Nemec attended Homestead Junior High and South Dade Senior High, playing softball for the Buccaneers. After high school, she went to the University of Florida, where she began to study to be a nursing anesthetist. She made the switch to elementary education and, upon graduating, taught third through sixth grades for 10 years.

Principal Torres with Ms. Nemec at Palmetto Elementary’s Fun Fest.

Her true strengths became evident when she became a reading curriculum coach. During her time in this role, she ran programs, organized them and was passionate about helping teachers improve students’ learning by implementing various instructional programs and practices.

Quickly it became apparent to her supervisors that she would be an excellent candidate for leadership. She completed the two-year leadership program online and got her degree from Florida State University, all while she continued to teach and coach. Her principal encouraged her to apply to the BENCH (Building Excellence in Novice Leaders through Challenges and High Expectations) Program, a one-year program where candidates shadow assistant principals, attend meetings and learn how to be a successful school leader in the Miami-Dade County Public School System.

Upon finishing, she got the call that Palmetto Elementary had an opening. Her first impression when she walked into the school? She was blown away by the cleanliness of the halls and classrooms. Once she met the teachers, Mr. Torres and all the office staff, she knew the transition would be an easy one.

“Everyone was so welcoming and so nice,” Nemec said of her colleagues at Palmetto.

Her responsibilities at the school are varied, but one of her main duties is being the test chair for all the testing throughout the year. She organizes the testing schedule, trains the teachers, oversees all aspects of each test and makes sure everything is submitted on time. Then, once the results are in, she looks for ways she can help the teachers diversify the teaching methods to help all students continue to improve. She checks for regression and places students who need extra assistance with the “intervention coach.”

With the younger grades, she will review the data with the entire grade level. But for second through fifth grades, she will meet with individual teachers to go over each child’s scores and look for patterns and come up with strategies to help the students continue progressing throughout the school year.

Although she is very comfortable with testing and overseeing all the curriculum because of her experience in the field, she still has contact with her mentors.

“District Director Dr. Linda Amica Roberts was a mentor for me early on when I started coaching,” Nemec said. “And administratively, Ignacio Rodriguez was my mentor, my principal. He continues to give me advice, and I know he’ll guide me professionally and continue to build my leadership abilities.”

In her spare time, Nemec loves to be outdoors. Whether it is fishing, paddleboarding or snorkeling, she is in her element when she is in the water. She also loves to spend time with her daughter, Chelsea, and son, Chandler, both middle school students at Palmetto Middle School.

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Last modified: February 27, 2024