Gainesville High School campus principal Mike Kemp is leaving to become assistant superintendent for student achievement for the Glynn County school system.

"It has been a tough decision, but I realize it is time to succeed at the next level to accomplish my ultimate career goal of becoming a superintendent of schools someday," Kemp said Wednesday.

The Glynn County Board of Education in Brunswick has voted unanimously to approve Kemp to the post, which he will begin Tuesday, said Steven Ballowe, superintendent of the Gainesville school system.

Neither Michael Bull, superintendent of Glynn County schools, nor Mike Hulsey, the school board’s chairman, could be reached for comment.

Kemp, 41, began as principal of Gainesville High in February 2006, moving to the area from Jacksonville, Fla., where he served as a high school principal.

"The opportunity to serve as the principal at GHS has been rewarding," Kemp said by e-mail.

"I can think of no better principalship than GHS in which to end my school-based career. GHS faculty, staff, students and community are all very special, and I will miss them dearly."

Initially, Kemp came to Gainesville High as principal, then was later named campus principal as the district named administrators to head "academies" within the high school.

Gainesville High features a Freshman Academy for ninth-graders and the Arts & Sciences, Careers.net and Civil International academies for students in 10th through 12th grades.

Ballowe said he wasn’t surprised by the announcement.

"I had been working with Mike Kemp and Mike Bull on that (move)," he said. "I’m very, very pleased for Mike Kemp and very, very sad for us."

Bull worked under Ballowe as an assistant superintendent for Gainesville schools before taking the superintendent’s post in Glynn.

Ballowe said the short-term plan to handle Kemp’s absence involves spreading his duties among several administrators.

"We’ll, over the next several months, determine how we’re going to recruit and when we’re going to (fill) that position," he said. "We’ve got a plan we’re going to be presenting to the (Gainesville City Board of Education) within the next couple of days."