Thank You

I started as the principal of Greene Central High School in 2013. At the time, we were still living in Pitt County, and Rylee was attending school in Farmville. Staying after school for games and other events often meant that by the time I got home, both of my girls had completed their homework and were in bed. A little bit of my heart broke every time that happened, so something had to change. Erika and I made the decision to move the girls to Greene County Schools in 2015. Rylee started in 3rd grade and Reagan in 1st grade. Each day, I would pack them up and sit in two lines to drop them off before coming to school and starting my work day. They were always the first ones dropped off at their schools each morning. It was tough, but the payoff was that they spent many hours after school with me in my office doing their homework and at games. Reagan usually stayed in my office, but Rylee enjoyed going to anything she could attend. My girls grew up at Greene Central and quickly learned which teachers they could go to if their dad was in a meeting. They knew who kept snacks. They knew who could take them somewhere if I wasn't able. And Marvett fed them many meals from a concession stand. My girls grew up at the school and with many of the staff members as surrogate parents. They were always safe and well cared for. 

When they came to Greene Central as official students, they already knew most of the staff. They had ideas about the courses they wanted to take and goals for what they wanted to achieve. But those achievements wouldn't have been possible without the people who supported them and guided them along the way. My girls have had big dreams, and that often meant extra time and attention from those who worked with them. I'm not foolish enough to believe that being the principal's kid didn't have some weight on staff members who were asked, but I would also like to think that a lot of that time was spent in mutual appreciation for what they were working on. 

And now, after many years of being in these halls, both of my girls are leaving this school. Reagan's goal of being accepted to the NC School of Science and Mathematics was achieved earlier this year. She will start at the Durham campus in August for her 11th and 12th grade years. She will have opportunities to learn with others in an environment that can push her, but only because of those who pushed her here. She's very excited. Rylee leaves here as the Valedictorian, headed to UNC in the Fall. She thinks she wants to be a dentist, so she has plenty of school left ahead of her. She enjoyed being a part of just about everything in high school and even came during exams to work on ceramics. Both of my girls got to their goals because of the environment that helped teach them, guided them, and took care of them. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Your work for them has made so much possible. Thank you for the time you gave to them, if you taught them, or just for the environment you helped create that let them thrive. As a principal, I am proud of the team that graduates students of every ability each year. But this year, as a parent, I am eternally grateful.