Just after spring break, Vicky Storey stepped up from vice-principal to principal of Stayton High School.
“Taking over the leadership of the building during a pandemic when school looked different than it ever had before was definitely a challenge, but I’ve had strong support from my staff, district leaders, and the community,” Storey said.
This year, Storey is excited about opportunities to redefine and establish the culture of SHS.
“Three-fourths of our students haven’t spent a full year on campus, so we have the opportunity to establish new traditions and set new expectations,” she said. “Our younger students are coming to us with strong academic skills and expecting to be asked to do rigorous tasks in class, and I’m excited to meet their expectations.”
Storey started her service to SHS straight out of college when she was hired as a language arts teacher.
“I taught at SHS for 17 years, and I know many of you parents sat in my classroom at some point,” she said in her recent letter to parents. “When I returned to the building as the assistant principal, it was surreal to see many former students reflected in the faces of our current students. I feel strangely proud when I get to work with a former student as a parent to support their child, who is now an SHS student.”
Storey’s oldest child graduated last June from SHS, and her youngest is a student there.
“I have proudly sent my own children to school at Stayton High and have complete confidence in our staff to meet all students’ needs,” she said. “You can be certain that when I make decisions and wrestle with the challenges that face our school, I focus primarily on how students are impacted.”
After teaching, Storey became assistant principal, a position she held for four years.
“I know the staff well, and I know many of the students well,” she said. “This gives me an advantage… I’m not building relationships and trust from scratch.”
Challenges include educating students amid a global pandemic, she said.
“We have students who are in quarantine due to exposure to COVID from their families and friends outside of school, and they have to have ways to keep up on their education, even when they can’t be in person,” she added. “That’s a challenge for our teachers, but one we’ve planned for and are ready to face. We know that most students learn best in person and that they benefit from the social experiences and interactions that we associate with being in high school.
“Finding a way to provide the collaborative learning opportunities and the social experiences while enforcing safety and COVID protocols is a challenge,” she said. “I’m proud of how creative our teachers and student leaders have been to find a balance.”
By updating seating charts and using contact tracing, Storey hopes to see a decrease in COVID cases in the community as students, staff and other personnel move through the winter.
“We are prepared to keep students safe, in the meantime, and to meet their learning needs to the best of our ability,” she said. “… [W]e take our mission to empower all students for life seriously. We do this by making relationships the heart of our work, by maintaining high expectations for academics and behavior, and by expecting active participation both in and out of the classroom.
“We care about our students and are intentional and strategic to be sure they are future-ready,” Storey added. “The hopes and dreams they have for their futures guide how we interact with them and support them.”
