Local author Kimie Carroll available to meet at The Book Nook

By Jules Rogers

After more than 30 years in education, Canby author Kimie Carroll has turned her experience as a teacher, administrator, and mentor into a practical guide for educators stepping into school leadership.

Carroll plans to celebrate her new book with a book signing at the Canby Book Nook, 200 N.W. 1st Ave., on Nov. 5 at 5 p.m., where she hopes to connect with local educators and readers and share what she has learned throughout her career.

Carroll’s path into education began unexpectedly in Africa, where she taught through the Peace Corps.

“I fell in love with teaching, and that’s what I became when I came back to the U.S.,” Carroll said.

She went on to teach math for 12 years before spending two decades as an administrator. Although Carroll said she loved working with students, she noticed that much of the theory taught in administrator preparation programs did not always translate to the day-to-day realities of leading a school.

In 2023, after her youngest daughter graduated from high school, Carroll decided she wanted to work fewer hours. She found a position as a new-teacher mentor, helping educators learn how to work effectively.

She held the position for about a year and a half before retiring in December 2024 so she and her husband John could travel to watch their daughter, Mia, play softball around the U.S.

Her experience mentoring new teachers ultimately provided the inspiration for her book.

“I helped new teachers figure out how to organize themselves, communicate proactively with staff, set goals, and communicate well with families and students, and many other things that normally they had to figure out on their own,” Carroll said. “That was something that new administrators had to figure out also, so I decided to write my book to help aspiring and new administrators in a very difficult job.”

Carroll describes the book as a guide for new administrators that focuses less on educational theory and more on the practical realities of leadership.

Her approach centers on relationships, meaningful observation and evaluation, creating a fun workplace, empowering staff, and supporting teachers in what she considers the most difficult and important job in education.

Carroll’s writing process was similarly straightforward.

“Some days I would write 10 hours, and other days or weeks I would not write at all,” she said.

She initially viewed writing as more of a hobby and therapeutic outlet, never expecting she would actually finish the book.

Now that her book is published, Carroll has modest but meaningful goals for it.

“My goal is to break even with my book, and to help at least one administrator,” she said.

She has already begun sharing the book beyond Oregon. Carroll recently met with an educator in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and provided copies to distribute to other educators. The two also plan to collaborate on an administrator training workshop focused on Myanmar educators.

She also plans to donate copies to Portland State University, where she earned her master’s degree in Educational Policy, Foundations and Administrative Studies.

For Carroll, the book is ultimately about the kind of leader she believes educators need — someone who is trustworthy, follows through, and remembers what it is like to be in the classroom.

“It’s about leading with kindness, but also being able to say no,” she said. “It’s about having fun and celebrating your staff and students.”

Carroll is particularly excited to bring the book to local readers at the Canby Book Nook.

“I want everyone who leaves the event to feel empowered and valued,” she said.

After decades in education, Carroll said she wants readers to understand just how challenging the work can be — and how important relationships are within any workplace.

“You spend a lot of time at your job every day, maybe even more time than you spend at home,” she said. “Why not invest in the people you work with and have fun at the same time?”

Carroll’s Nov. 5 book signing at the Canby Book Nook will give local readers an opportunity to meet the first-time author and learn more about her approach to educational leadership.