To Kendricks “Ken” Allen, Harker’s new dean of lower school students, there is nothing like the sound of children at play. And, from where he sits in his office – located adjacent to the gymnasium and across from Rincon Field – students are never very far away.

“I like being where the action is!” enthused Allen, whose office is adorned with diplomas and pictures with the motivating words “respect,” “integrity” and “success.”

Allen has long enjoyed working with youngsters, having previously been an elementary school teacher at Fort Worth County Day School in Texas, where he also served as head track and field coach, assistant varsity football coach and assistant head coach for varsity girls basketball.

A native of Illinois, he was raised in Colorado, where his family still resides. He comes to Harker with an undergraduate degree in exercise and sports science from Colorado State University along with a master’s in education administration from Texas Christian University.

This past July Allen got married and relocated here from Texas. With so many exciting yet major life changes he credits fellow administrators, staff and colleagues with enabling him to quickly settle in and feel confident in his new role at Harker.

Allen has been working hard at getting to know many of the 596 students who attend the lower school. To that end, he employed a unique method of having students with locker troubles come to his office for help at the start of the school year.

“That way I was able to immediately start getting to know them individually,” said Allen, who is steadily learning the Harker community of students, parents, faculty and staff members. In fact, this first year one of his priorities will be simply to listen and observe.

“Harker is a very special community, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” he said, adding, “I love my job!”