By Makalie Farmer and Jacoby Barton.
Four new assistant principals joined principal Emme Siburt and continuing administrators Patricia Anderson and Erika Varela to lead the campus through the school year.
“I was given this opportunity and it was something I couldn’t pass up to work with such a great team,” Courtney Stewart, assistant principal for alphabet Li-Re, said. “I’m excited to be here.”
Before accepting the high school position, Stewart served as assistant principal at Martinez Elementary and was also the girls athletic coordinator at Cooper High school. Stewart plans to get to know everybody on campus and build relationships with her students.
Erika Varela, assistant principal for alphabet En-Le, was the curriculum coordinator and assistant principal in Del Rio Texas for two years before deciding to come back to west Texas last school year. Her goal is to help as many students as she can this year.
“I really am a caring person. I want to do anything I can to help students reach the ultimate goal, which is graduation,” Varela said. “I want to be available for whatever I can do for kids.”
Taking over students with last names beginning with Rh-Z, Clay Johnson migrated to AHS after spending 16 years directing the band at Cooper, followed by two years as the assistant principal at Bowie Elementary.
“Right now there’s a lot of things I’m learning, so survival is key,” Johnson said. “I want to have a good time and I want students to reach their goals. I hope that I can bring a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm. I hope students realize that I’m always here to help.”
Zach Sneed returned to AHS this year as the dean of instruction. For the last three years he worked as an assistant principal at Craig Middle School. Sneed’s goal for this year is to take criticism and use it to help him improve.
“I plan to bring positivity and accountability to make sure our campus is going in the right direction,” Sneed said. “I want students to know that I’m here to help them out and to make sure everybody knows what to do in order to graduate “
Heath Wright, assistant principal for alphabet A-Em, was an assistant principal at Mann Middle school.
“I know sometimes we are seen as the authoritative figure,” Varela said. “But at the same time we just want what’s best for students.”
