By Mary Owen
Stayton High School welcomes two new administrators, both dedicated to bringing success to students, staff and school.
Graham Hughes is the principal, with Alan Kirby becoming the assistant principal. They will work together to help SHS students reach their potential.
“I felt the move to Stayton would be a great fit for me as an administrator,” said Hughes, who previously worked in two other rural districts.
Replacing Robert Abdou, Hughes comes to SHS Pacific High School in Port Orford, Ore. He plans to be involved with students and staff. Students must feel important and invited to school, he said.
“That means getting to know each student personally,” added Hughes, who believes that staff, students, parents and community members should see an administrator before school, in the hallways during lunch, between classes, at sporting events, school functions, and, “especially observing learning within the classroom on a daily basis.”
Embracing a team approach, he plans to help remove obstacles for teachers so students can succeed in the classroom, and create a positive and safe school climate that allows students and teachers to focus on learning, he said.
As an administrator, Hughes said he will “take responsibility for school successes and disappointments; hire, develop and retain excellent teachers and support staff, budget resources appropriately, and build a strong school community.”
“I also feel that fun and a good sense of humor must be in the mix,” he added.
Hughes graduated from Western Oregon University with a bachelor’s degree in 1997, and received his master’s from Idaho State University in 1998. He earned his administrator’s license from George Fox University in 2004, after which he served as assistant principal at Central Linn Junior and Senior High School and principal at Pacific High School.
Kirby moves into the assistant principal’s seat, taking over for John Kendal, who will retire at the end of this year. Kendal will continue as a half-time contractor in library media and assessment coordination for the district.
Kirby comes to the position with 12 years of teaching, eight for NSSD, covering a wide variety of subjects including U.S. history and government and creating electives such as sociology and the 60’s and Vietnam.
“My number one goal is for school at SHS to be fun,” Kirby said. “That doesn’t mean that learning is not the priority, rather, I think fun and learning go together. There are so many things to be gained from a positive learning environment. If we can work on making our school a place where students really enjoy being, a lot of other things will fall into place.”
Kirby believes in fostering a strong connection with students and wants to help them be involved in their school. Highlights of his career include helping students to think differently and to understand new ideas, as well as taking several student trips to Washington, DC, and New York, with another upcoming next year. “And I have had great experiences coaching football as well,” he said.
Kirby graduated from Western Oregon University in 2000; received a master’s degree from Willamette University in 2001 and administrator’s license from Willamette in 2011.
