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Despite the timing (one week before
school is set to begin) and the somewhat hectic atmosphere (staff
meetings, planning sessions, etc.) the new DeLeon High School
principal, Jimmie Cearley, took the time earlier this week to talk
about his hopes and plans for the school.
 “I
have an excellent staff,” Cearley said, “and we’re going to make sure
the kids have high-order thinking and learning skills. We want to make
sure we get them ready for college -- or the job market.”
Although he was most recently a principal
at Cross Plains, Cearley (pronounced Curley) said he was once a
vocational teacher and believes teaching those skills is important.
“In addition to Cross Plains, I’ve been a
principal at Grayford and Munday,” Cearley said. “But I was an ag
teacher for 20 years before I became a principal. I taught at Paint
Creek, Cisco and Gustine. So I’ve been in the (Comanche) county
before, as an ag teacher.”
A well-rounded student is important to
Cearley, and something he believes is possible. “Whether a student
goes through an ag department, or a homemaking department, they can go
out and get a job while they’re still going to college,” Cearley said,
“and help support themselves. That’s what it’s all about.”
A quick run down of his “beliefs” reveals that “students come first.”
“I’ve told my teachers that, and I’ll
keep on telling them that,” Cearley said.
Second on his list of beliefs is “fair
and consistent discipline.” Third is that “All students can, and will,
follow the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct.”
“I want students to participate in as
many activities as possible,” Cearley said, “but they have to maintain
their grades.”
Cearley said he keeps students busy,
there will not be time for trouble.
One area that Cearley plans to emphasize
is preparation for TAKS testing.
“I want to see our TAKS scores at the
high school come up,” he said. “And if that means extra work for my
teachers -- then so be it. I can’t graduate a student if they don’t
pass the TAKS test, so I want everybody to pass the first time
around.”
The emphasis on TAKS testing should not
interfere with the rest of a student’s education. “We’re going to make
sure that all kids get a fair education,” Cearley said. “One thing
that people need to know, is that all students need to be on a
recommended program. That means two years of Spanish. Laws have
changed where if you’re not on a recommended program you can’t enroll
in any state university or college. And, I am going to emphasis
vocational programs for everybody.” He also said he expects students
to participate in UIL activities -- and not just sports.
Cearley was born in Stamford, and
graduated high school there, and then later attended Tarleton State
University. “I got a bachelor’s, a master’s and a principal
certification from Tarleton,” he said.
Accompanying Cearley in his move to
DeLeon was his wife, Brenda, who will teach at Cisco. The couple has
two children, Amanda, an elementary school teacher in Ranger; and a
son, Justin. “He’s the staff illustrationist for Rebel Magazine in
Austin,” Cearley said.
“And I have my first grandchild, Bryce,
who is 8 months old,” he said. “He’s Amanda’s son.”
In his spare time Cearley said he enjoys
hunting and fishing. “But my wife says my job is my hobby,” he
laughed.
Cearley, who began work at DHS in June,
said that DeLeon was a very friendly town. “I feel very welcome here,”
he said. “I feel right at home. It made my transition in to this job
easy.”
Mark Lewis, the former DHS principal, is
now the principal at Perkins Middle School. Scott Carlisle, the former
Perkins principal, is now principal at Comanche High School. |
