School's out for principal

Nevada Daily Mail

After 30 years as a principal -- five of those in Hume -- Kenny Otto has traded his place at the helm of Hume High School for a retired life of leisure.

Otto completed his tenure when the 2012-13 school year ended in May.

Now the 60-year-old Mound City, Kan., resident plans to spend more time with his wife and grandchildren and play golf.

"My wife and I are going on an Alaskan cruise in August," he said. "We're going with her sister and husband. We're looking forward to that. We've never been on a cruise.

"I'm going to work with my cattle," he added. "I may substitute teach in Hume and Mound City."

Otto had no experience with high school students when he took the job as high school principal, but Superintendent David Quick said Otto took to the job like a natural.

"I never had been a high school principal," Otto said. "I'd always been at the elementary level. I went from having about 300 kids in elementary down to 160 for K-12. It was a big adjustment for me.

"I really enjoyed getting to know the high school kids," he continued. "The high school kids knew all of the grade school kids. It was just a family-type atmosphere with the staff. It was really fun for me."

Quick described Otto as very student oriented.

"He had an idea for education that was kind of unique," Quick said. "He'd rather prevent than punish. So he tried to build relationships with kids that would normally find themselves in disciplinary problems."

Otto developed the idea of Hornet Pride, a school-wide study hall lasting 40 minutes everyday.

He divided the study hall into two levels, Hornet Heaven and Hornet Help. The idea was that "A" and "B" students could sleep, listen to music or do homework during Hornet Heaven, while "C" and "D" students had teachers tutor and supervise them during Hornet Help.

"It has really improved our academics," Quick said. "The A/B students like it not just because they have freedom to do things, but also because they have time for homework before extracurricular activities."

Under Otto, the school's Annual Performance Report test scores reached the maximum level, and Hume was accredited with distinction.

"I'm very proud we really made some strides academically," he said. "The teachers and kids really did well. I'm really proud of the kids and the teachers."

Beyond academics, Otto also attended three senior trips, the most recent being Key West, Fla.

"I enjoyed getting to know our seniors really well," he said. "We had a lot of fun. I'd never been to Key West. We went to Orlando for a few days, and then Key Largo, and then we went all the way to the tip of Key West."

Otto also said he enjoyed taking his wife to several proms and homecomings.

Quick said the Yogi Bear fan was a good, Christian man.

"He always had a smile and liked to sing," Quick said with a chuckle. "If he wasn't singing, then he wasn't happy, You kind of knew that."

Otto said he is grateful to the Hume community for making his years at the high school memorable.

"They accepted my wife and I," he said. "The staff was very friendly. The students, community, faculty and the board of education couldn't have been better to work with.

"I'm grateful to all of them," he said.