EDMOND — Edmond and Deer Creek school districts have completed hiring new staff for administrative openings.

In Edmond, seven principals were hired, most from within the school district, while Deer Creek hired two principals for the 2012-13 school term.

Cordell Ehrich began his teaching career in a band room in 2003. He spent the next eight years in the Edmond School district where he spent the past two years at Cheyenne Middle School as an assistant principal.

“I chose to teach because of the incredible impact made on my life by teachers; I wanted to have the same opportunity to positively invest in students’ lives,” Ehrich said.

“As I taught, the desire to have an even larger impact in the school in which I worked led me to pursue administration. I love working with students, especially those in middle school, and helping them discover their dreams and achieve them.”

Angie Debo’s new principal Candice Delcamp said, “Education has always been a priority for my family. An avid learner myself, I love watching students develop a lifelong love of learning.”

She received her Masters of Education degree in educational administration, curriculum and supervision from the University of Oklahoma.

Delcamp is coming from Cross Timbers Elementary where she worked closely with the PTO to revamp the Vision Makers program, an art program for K-4. She was responsible for the Reading Sufficiency Program and supervised the Tutoring Program. She was the director of the My Friends Summer House program.

Delcamp said she is excited to partner with teachers, parents and students to create a loving and nurturing environment in which children can excel at Angie Debo.

Susanna Dougherty said she entered education because she always has had a passion for children and learning and wanted to make a difference in the lives of others.

Dougherty has a Masters of Teaching degree in education and in education administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.

She has been in education for 19 years, and after teaching for 15 years, Dougherty said she decided to pursue an administrative position.

“I wanted to challenge myself and use my passion, experience and knowledge in a different capacity,” Dougherty said. “Being a principal is an opportunity for me to continue to touch children’s lives and to promote student learning as a leader in a positive, nurturing environment. I was fortunate to become a part of the first Edmond Public Schools’ Administrative Cohort. My learning experiences within the cohort were invaluable. I feel very blessed to be given the opportunity to be the principal at Washington Irving.”

A National Board Certified Teacher, Dougherty was named Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2009.

Orvis Risner principal Penny Dilg has been reassigned to Russell Dougherty where she will be following in retiring principal Paula Stafford’s footsteps.

“I am thrilled to be going to Russell Dougherty,” said Dilg.

“I feel like I’m coming full circle. My son went to Russell Dougherty so I’ve been a parent at the school. While he was there, I went back to school to obtain my education degree. He went to the after-school program when I first started teaching in the district. I consider myself very fortunate to be coming back to Russell Dougherty as its principal.”

A 20-year educator, Dayna Hamilton has been on the administrative end for the past 12 years. In 1998-99 she received the Excellent Educator award. She will be taking over as principal at Charles Haskell Elementary School.

“I love learning and want to be able to share that love and develop it in others for a lifetime,” Hamilton said. “I knew I was going to be a teacher at age 7 when I would insist that my baby sister play school with me and I was always the teacher. I can recall making her call me Miss Hamilton.”

Hamilton said she always has wanted to make the largest impact in educating students and not just limit herself to one classroom.  

“I want to facilitate and lead a school culture of respect, support and encouragement,” Hamilton said. “I truly believe that good instruction and learning can only exist in a positive climate and a culture where hard work of teachers and students is valued.”

Shana Perry, the incoming principal at Orvis Risner Elementary in Edmond, and former principal of Del Crest Middle School in Del City, has been named a finalist in the 2013 MetLife/

NASSP National Principal of the Year Program.

Perry is working on her doctorate at Oklahoma State University with only her dissertation left to complete.

While meeting the school’s racially diverse, high-poverty students including establishing a safe, welcoming environment, Perry initiated professional learning communities, data analysis teams and professional development allowing her teachers to strengthen instruction and personalize learning.

“The EPS district mission statement boldly proclaims, ‘Empowering ALL students to succeed in a changing society,’ and I want to be a part of that,” Perry said. “I want to bring my skill set and passion to the stakeholders of EPS, but especially Orvis Risner Elementary.”

Perry said people are her priority and everything else will fall in line because of her purposeful building of rapport with all stakeholders.

“It costs nothing but time and commitment and I have plenty of it,” Perry said.

Jason Hayes has served as an assistant principal at Edmond Memorial High School for the past five school years and is taking the position as Cimarron principal.

“Cimarron is a well-respected school with a long tradition of academic excellence,” Hayes said. “I have been fortunate to watch as incoming students (over half from Cimarron each year) transform into Memorial graduates who accomplish amazing things both in and out of the classroom.

“It will be my goal to work with the faculty and parents of Cimarron Middle School to fully prepare our students for success at the high school level both academically and socially.”  

Tara Fair was named the Associate Superintendent of Education Services. Formerly the principal at Central Middle School, Fair has been working in the capacity of Education Services Coordinator, Title I.



Board hires 3 assistant principals, 1 administrative intern  

Three educators will be moving up as assistant principals in the Edmond School District. Christopher Helling was hired as assistant principal at Edmond North High School moving from Santa Fe High School; Anthony Rose, assistant principal at Cheyenne Middle School moving from Memorial High School; and Katy Korstjens, assistant principal at Cimarron Middle School moving from Sequoyah Middle School.

Jason Engelke will be an administrative intern at Charles Haskell Elementary School moving from John Ross Elementary.



Deer Creek Schools District hires 2 principals for 2012-13

Grove Creek Elementary’s new principal, Kelly Faught, is moving from the Edmond School District to take her new position in the Deer Creek School District.

Faught has spent 20 years in education and is a National Board Certified Teacher with a master’s degree in education. She is working on her doctorate with hopes to finish her dissertation in the fall. Most recently she was the principal at Charles Haskell Elementary in the Edmond Public School District. She is a member of the Education Leadership Class of Oklahoma and Putnam City Schools Foundation Excellent Educator.

“I started my career in education as a classroom teacher with the goal of making a positive difference in students’ lives,” Faught said. “I have really enjoyed the principalship, as it has allowed me the opportunity to connect with students, teachers, and parents on a larger scale.”

Melissa Jordan will be leading Deer Creek High School’s Freshman Academy when doors open at the high school this fall. She was assistant principal at Deer Creek High School last year after moving from North Carolina where she had been a classroom teacher for four years, an assistant principal for four years and a principal for one year in public schools.

“My goal this school year is to help the students and parents of the Class of 2016 make an easy transition to high school,” Jordan said. “The staff of the Freshman Academy are dedicated to educating, supporting and challenging our students while guiding their transition to high school life. It’s going to be a great year and we can’t wait to meet the Class of 2016.”