QUINCY — Kacey Kiehn said the biggest challenge he sees facing the Quincy School District is accommodating the community’s substantial growth. Kiehn was appointed to the Quincy School Board earlier this month. 

Kiehn replaces Tricia Lubach, who resigned to take a job as executive director of the Washington State School Directors Association. The school board seat will be on the ballot in November 2025.  

“I think that is kind of the key challenge the school district is facing right now. When the last bond was run they did project growth, but I don’t think they projected the growth that we have seen – Quincy's growing like crazy,” Kiehn said. “That’s the one that really stands out to me.” 

Two of the district’s schools will be approaching capacity within the next two to three years, he said. 

“So that’s one big challenge for me. How do we address this?” he said. 

Kiehn is a Quincy graduate and has been an active supporter of QSD since he came back to town, he said. 

“I helped found the Quincy FFA Alumni Association, and I’ve been on the board since its founding in 2011,” he said. “The group has given back around $200,000 to the Quincy FFA chapter. I’ve been on the high school CTE Ag Advisory panel for a long time. I was on the last school bond committee, and I’m an active member on the George Elementary parent volunteer committee.” 

The school board job is another way to be active in the district and contribute to the community, he said. Two of his three children are students at George Elementary, and Kiehn said it’s important to ensure they – and every other QSD student – get a quality education.  

“There’s a history of excellence on the school board, and I want to donate my time and my skills to help that tradition continue and improve all students’ educational experiences,” Kiehn said. “Because I think as a parent, the things I want are the things every parent wants. And I want to build on the successes that I’ve had in different arenas, bring that to the school board and hopefully lift up all the kids in the district.” 

Quincy residents are committed to the community, he said. 

“As much as Quincy has grown, it’s still a very tight-knit community,” he said. “It’s also a community that’s got a lot of pride in its town and in the school district. You walk down the streets of Quincy, there’s a Quincy Jackrabbit logo painted on the sides of a lot of buildings, painted in windows, downtown the (log) is on the sidewalks everywhere. It’s a community that wants to support the school, that has pride in itself, and we see that in a lot of ways – the community gives back huge to all the booster clubs. I think everyone here feels very connected to each other, to the town.” 

Kiehn said he knows there are some things he’s going to have to learn, but that he’s looking forward to the challenge. 

“I want to work with the other board members and really research the concerns that are coming. I feel like one of my strengths is analytical thinking, and that’s something I want to bring to the board. I’ve got a lot of experience managing large projects, budgets, leading teams (and with) relationship building.” he said. “Those are all things I’ve done in my professional career. And I just want to be able to contribute what I’ve got to the board and address the challenges that do come up. I think the school district is on a positive trajectory, but there are always going to be things that have to be addressed, have to be adjusted and approved.” 

    Tricia Lubach
  

    Kacey Kiehn