After four years at Camas High School (CHS), Principal Kelly O’Rourke is preparing to leave at the end of the 2026 school year to take a position at an international school in China.
O’Rourke moved to Camas after 28 years working in Las Vegas. Her husband had been appointed superintendent of a school district in Oregon, and she planned to keep working in Nevada for another year or two, commuting between states.
After hearing about their relocation, superintendent Dr. John Anzalone contacted O’Rourke with a job offer at CHS. O’Rourke accepted to go through an interview process, landed the job, and decided to move to Camas, Washington. Once settled in, she and her husband planned to stay in Camas long-term.
The biggest surprise for O’Rourke about moving from Las Vegas to Camas was the sense of community she did not realize she had been missing.
“In Las Vegas, even though there are communities, it’s not the same because it’s a big city,” O’Rourke said. “Here, the kids are all kind to each other. When they disagree it’s like sibling-ish. I love that.”
During her time at CHS, O’Rourke focused on building more consistent administrative systems. When she arrived, each administrator oversaw a single grade level, which helped them get to know students but also led to uneven discipline practices.
“There wasn’t a lot of consistency,” O’Rourke said. “So we changed that and we built these really strong systems.”
She also helped launch the idea of a tennis court cover, a project she pushed for after noticing how often the girls’ tennis teams lost practice time to spring rain.
Students who see O’Rourke daily say they will miss how involved she was with the students.
“One thing I’m going to miss about [Kelly O’Rourke] is that she’s always checking in on students during lunch and throughout the halls,” senior Liam Wakimoto said.
“As an office [teacher assistant], there’s never been a moment where she hasn’t acknowledged me, which is really nice,” senior Gigi Woodruff said.
The opportunity to work abroad came after her husband began receiving calls from colleagues following his retirement. Years earlier, the couple had talked about working in an international school, but raising children made it difficult. However, this time, O’Rourke was willing to take the risk.
“Sometimes a door opens, and you’re not ready for the door to open,” O’Rourke said. “I’m not ready to leave Camas. I love my job. But I want to take this opportunity.”
She said the chance to experience a new culture and try something completely new ultimately convinced her.
The Camas School District has already posted the job opening for a new CHS principal, and O’Rourke said the hiring process will be thorough. At home, she is sorting through belongings and preparing for a move that allows only three suitcases.
“My goal is to leave Camas High School in such great shape that whoever the next person is can just come in and do what they need to do,” O’Rourke said.
As she prepares to move to China, O’Rourke hopes students remember how much she cares for them, their families, and the school.