By: Ainsley Northrop

People Editor

After 27 years of working in California public schools, beloved Los Gatos High School principal Kevin Buchanan announced his plans to retire at the end of the school year at a faculty meeting on Tuesday, January 16. 

Buchanan began his public school journey as an English teacher, passionate about “the notion of being able to work every day with great literature and teaching students how to understand it…communicate, and how to write.” Intrigued by colleague recommendations, Buchanan applied to an administration program at the University of California, Los Angeles and eventually began working as a principal. 

Buchanan described his role as LGHS principal as broad, with jobs ranging from “putting something up on the locker room wall to stop people from climbing that pipe to get onto the roof” to strategizing ways to meet academic achievement needs. While he enjoys many aspects of the profession, Buchanan declared that the students are his favorite part of the job. He explained, “It’s all about the students. None of us would be here if it weren’t for the students…that’s what makes it challenging, dynamic, fun, and joyful because you get to see kids grow….[After] four years,they’re off on new adventures with a lot more confidence, knowledge, and self-assurance and that’s really fulfilling to see.”  

Before working in schools, Buchanan worked in the hotel business, running restaurants, hotel departments, and more. He alluded to his time at hotels, saying, “Schools [are] multi-departmental. We’ve got customers if you think of the students in that respect…You’ve got to take care of these people and provide the services.”

The biggest challenge for Buchanan was dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it was difficult to design and enforce COVID protocols, he was immensely proud that during his first year as principal, the only event they had to cancel was due to air quality, not COVID. He explained, “the biggest achievement was getting back to normal.” In addition, Buchanan noted that another significant achievement during his time at LGHS was helping students raise awareness about fentanyl. 

When he is not at school, Buchanan enjoys gardening exotic vegetables, spending time with his family, and sailing. After retirement, he is looking forward to moving to the United Kingdom and traveling Europe. Buchanan also mentioned his love for theater and helping run productions. 

With his time at LGHS drawing to a close, Buchanan hopes to leave behind an atmosphere of honesty and normalcy. He said, “We own our mistakes. We learn from them. We’re honest about them.” He advised students to “be yourself, because who else are you going to be? You’re enough…try not to get caught up comparing yourselves with other people.”

Reflecting on this chapter of his life, Buchanan expressed that he would not change a thing: “I made a lot of different choices that took me in paths I did not expect to go…There’s so many variables that go along the way…Maybe I wouldn’t end up being at the place I was where I met my wife or something like that.” He concluded, “I’m really happy where I ended up professionally and where I am right now.” Buchanan is eternally grateful for the Los Gatos community and excited for what the future holds for him.