Hello! My name is Jena Kemmer and I teach 3rd grade at St. John Paul II Catholic School. I have been a teacher for 23 years, but this is my first year at JPII. I obtained my teaching degree at Indiana State University, and I was fortunate to earn an athletic scholarship to play volleyball for the Sycamores. Some of my favorites are sunflowers and bees, walking the Big 4 Bridge, working out, reading, vintage/thrift store shopping, and of course, teaching. I am so excited to be a part of the JPII family!
My family and I live in Jeffersonville. My husband, Kerry, is an entrepreneur and enjoys running our businesses. My oldest daughter, Kiya, is 20 and works as a chiropractic technician. My youngest daughter, Kessa, is 17 and a senior at Silver Creek High School. She hopes to follow in my footsteps and play volleyball in college. My husband is 11 years older than me, so I have a stepson, Kole, who is 31 and owns his own concrete business. He has given us two wonderful grandchildren: Emma (10) and Kohen (4). We enjoy spending time in our pool, having bonfires, and going on family vacations. A lot of our time is also spent supporting Kessa playing volleyball year round. We are huge animal lovers. We have adopted 3 mixed breed dogs over the years and truly love our sweet pups, Kalvin, Josie and Moose. We also have 3 cats, Kako, Stacy, and Miss Kitty. Our lives are always busy, but we wouldn't have it any other way. I have a passion for engaging my students in their learning, as well as building relationships with them and their families. My philosophy is that if my students know I care about them and understand how important it is to me that they enjoy being in my classroom, they will take ownership of their learning and work hard to become successful. I am a strong believer in on-going, constant communication. Parents/Guardians and I are a team, and I enjoy working with families to ensure student growth and success. In my classroom, we are a family, and I constantly encourage students to lead with kindness and respect in order to make them well-rounded individuals.