To the left of his desk and in front of his hat rack sits a wooden filing cabinet. The bottom shelf is jumbled with photographs, scrapbooks, t-shirts and newspaper clippings, shoved in an unorganized heap, unattended to, clutter. This cabinet is now the treasure chest of memories that Principal Kitchens will begin unpacking as he prepares for retirement, with the photos of Kitchens dating all the way back to his job interview 34 years ago.
“My interview here, in 1979, when the principal asked me, ‘Mr. Kitchens, how pragmatic are you?’ And at that point, I wanted the job, so I said, ‘very pragmatic.’ He said ‘well, get a new suit of clothes and a haircut. You can have the job.”
Kitchens was 26 years old at the time, beginning his fifth teaching job in five years. He accepted the dual position of social studies teacher and men’s JV basketball head coach, and then remained the youngest member in the social studies department for the next 10 years.
Over the next twenty years, Kitchens would also serve as the Varsity basketball coach, JV baseball coach, mock trial coach, PHS athletic director, Activities Director, Leadership teacher, APT union negotiator, and APT president. He would also earn a law degree from taking night classes at John F Kennedy University and publish a Constitutional Law textbook.
“That diversity of interests is what kind of keeps you on edge a little bit and it doesn’t become so mundane and you don’t settle in to that rut quite as easily,” said Kitchens, who currently sits second on the PUSD faculty seniority list.
Though Kitchens is now known to current students as the fedora-wearing school administrator, the students from the 80’s and 90’s remember Kitchens for his lectures on success, his prolific storytelling, his colorful ties, and his four consecutive basketball championships.
As a social studies teacher, Kitchens and a fellow teacher developed a lecture on the three keys to life—timing, adjustment, and organization—that he would give to all his students.
“We kind of pounded that in and made it a theme,” he said.
Kitchens recalls his list of 30 stories that he would tell his students every year, “like the time the [referee] ran into my fist.” He would cross off stories to ensure that he would not repeat the same story twice to the same class. However, Kitchens remembers he had a group of students freshman through senior year, so they were forced to listen to the same stories.
“I don’t think they ever really recovered,” he said.
Students from the 80’s and also remember what is now known as “The Hayward Game,” which was an NCS basketball playoff game that took place the same night of the funeral for a PHS student. This PHS student had been the team statistician, and was good friends with the players.
Kitchens remembers having to go with his players directly from the funeral to the Saint Mary’s College gym for the game, where they would have to face the number one ranked team in northern California.
“I wondered how these kids would respond when they buried on of our best friends,” Kitchens said. “This was a game that these kids had looked forward to for four years. It just didn’t seem fair that these kids had to play under these circumstances”
Kitchens said that during warm ups, nobody had shown up to support the team, and he presumed they were still at the funeral.
“Then all of a sudden, a student came through, his face was painted purple and white,” Kitchens said. “Then about 10 more people came in after him, and then just a crowd of people came in and filled up Saint Mary’s college.”
Though predicted to lose badly, Piedmont shot over 75% from the field that game and led the game by 31 points at one point, eventually defeating the number one ranked team.
“Combining all those things and the emotions,” Kitchens said. “Those are the kind of emotions that you’ll never forget.”
Kitchens stopped coaching basketball to focus on teaching. In 2006, Kitchens took on the role of Assistant Principal for five years, until he became the Principal in 2011.
“My goal was to go for more than two years, but I’m tired. I’m worn down,” said Kitchens, who has received over 400 emails in one day. “[While I was teaching], I’d be going home through the tunnel, and I’d reflect on the day. They were all good. This job, not so much. You worry about stuff that’s out of your control, yet you’re still held responsible for.”
Kitchens surprised his wife and the superintendent with his decision to retire, which he said was completely his own decision.
“I don’t think they know how physically exhausted I had become,” said Kitchens, who arrives at school at 5:30 am every morning and leaves at 6 pm.
Even after Kitchens retires, his legacy will remain present throughout campus. His podium will stand in history teacher Courtney Goen’s room, completely covered in bumper stickers. Civics students will continue learning every day from his textbook. Pennants from his four basketball championships will remain hanging on the gym walls.
Now, Kitchens will spend his time traveling the world, practicing law, updating his textbook, playing with his granddaughter, and maybe even competing in chili cook-offs.
“I kid my wife and say we can get in an RV and go to these county fairs and county cook-offs and be with all these people with greasy spoons and make the chili from scratch,” Kitchens said. “I’ve had a good little run here. I’m ready to move on.”
