Each October is National Principals Appreciation Month. We cannot thank our building leaders enough for their selfless service to BCPS staff and students. We appreciate their resilience and their passion for helping every student succeed and thrive while supporting the needs of their teachers and staff. Their leadership is essential to the success of BCPS, and we’re so grateful for every single one of them!
Read more below to learn a little more about some of our principals from around the district.
Ms. Jennifer Bentley
Ms. Bentley is the Interim Principal of Ann J. Kellogg Elementary.
What is your favorite book? My current favorite is For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y'all Too by Christopher Emdin
What is your favorite food? Dinner that I don't have to cook or clean up! Steak and mashed potatoes
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? I have a pet crested gecko, Frank in the Tank.
What did you want to be when you grew up? Teacher or Nurse. (I didn't become a teacher until I was almost 40).
How do you spend your summer breaks? I love to be at the beach, in a pool or on a boat. But, Have worked at summer school for many of the recent summers.
What is your favorite thing about being a principal? MEETINGS! (I joke). Spending time with the kids, helping, laughing, and learning with them. Same with adults.
What is a quote or saying you live by? Am I doing what's best for kids? or Eleanor Roosevelt, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
Mr. Luke Perry
Mr. Perry is the Principal of the Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center.
Ms. Susan Basso
Ms. Basso is the Academy of Business, Technology, and Industrial Engineering Principal of Battle Creek Central High.
What is your favorite food? Czech or Mexican food
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? I am a black belt in Tang Soo Do
How do you spend your summer breaks? Try to find a pool or go to a beach as much as possible and soak up some sun!
Mr. Tyler Gilland
Mr. Gilland is the Freshman Academy Principal of Battle Creek Central High.
- What was your favorite book? Between the World and Me - Ta'Nehisi Coates
- What is your favorite food? Tacos - Authentic Tacos
- What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? I was a student who failed quite a few classes my freshman year and was frequently in the principal's office.
- What did you want to be when you grew up? Alive.
- How do you spend your summer breaks? Doing curriculum work with teachers, taking camping trips with my family around the beautiful state of Michigan, and turning off my computer!
- What is your favorite thing about being a principal? Connecting with students to help them change our schools to better serve them.
- What is a quote or saying you live by? May the work I've done speak for me. May the live I live speak for me.
Mr. Noah Hollander
Mr. Hollander is the Executive Principal of Battle Creek Central High.
What was your favorite book as a child? Attica Locke - Bluebird, Bluebird
What is your favorite food? Ramen or Burgers
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? I hooped in college for two years (only JuCo but it still counts)
What did you want to be when you grew up? NBA Hooper
How do you spend your summer breaks? Camping
What is your favorite thing about being a principal? The ability to have deeper relationships with scholars across the entire building
What is a quote or saying you live by? I don't normally live by quotes, by I do engrain in our scholars to "Make it a great day or not, the choice is yours"
Ms. Toni McClenney
Ms. McClenney is the Academy of Health and Human Services Principal of Battle Creek Central High.
Mr. Charles Seils
Mr. Seils is the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director of Battle Creek Central High.
Ms. TaShaune Harden
Ms. Harden is the Principal of the BC STEM Innovation Center.
Ms. Deborah Linden
Ms. Linden is the Principal of Dudley STEM Elementary.
Mr. Brandon Phenix
Mr. Phenix is the Principal of Fremont Elementary.
What is your favorite book? "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
What is your favorite food? Pho
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? I was the MVP of my varsity basketball team in 19994.
What did you want to be when you grew up? A pizza maker
How do you spend your summer breaks? Taking lots of naps
What is your favorite thing about being a principal? Watching our students grow and learn
What is a quote or saying you live by? "There is no rest for the weary."
Ms. Angela Morris
Ms. Morris is the Principal of LaMora Park Elementary.
What is your favorite food? My favorite foods are crab legs and lobster. My favorite snack is M & M's, both plain and peanut M & M's.
What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a child, I always wanted to be a teacher. I fulfilled that dream by teaching in a classroom for 23 years. Now, I am a Principal, and love that I still get to teach not only students but help teachers improve their practice.
How do you spend your summer breaks? Summer is my favorite season. I love to spend time with my family, go to the beach, and work in my garden during the summer.
What is your favorite thing about being a principal? My favorite part of being a Principal is watching children learn and grow and helping teachers be the best educators they can be.
Mr. David Fooy
Mr. Fooy is the Principal of Northwestern Middle School.
Ms. Sima Thurman
Ms. Thurman is the Principal of Post-Franklin Elementary.
Ms. Meridith Shabani
Ms. Shabani is the Principal of Springfield Middle.
Mr. Gregory Bish
Mr. Bish is the Principal of Valley View Elementary.
What is your favorite book? I love reading Dog Man books with my children.
What is your favorite food? I love a good pizza and hot soup or chili in the fall.
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? After I leave work most days, I am coaching my daughter's soccer team.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted to be a teacher, more specifically an art teacher at one point.
How do you spend your summer breaks? Spending time on the lake with my family, fishing, and camping.
What is your favorite thing about being a principal? I absolutely love getting to know every one of my students, greeting them at the door every day, and letting them know that I am happy they came to school.
What is a quote or saying you live by? “You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It’s a goldfish. You know why? Got a ten-second memory. Be a goldfish." Ted Lasso
Ms. Kavonna Matthews
Ms. Matthews is the Assistant Principal of Valley View Elementary.
What is your favorite food? Depending on the day and my mood, my favorite food is either Mancinos' Italian Grinder or macaroni and cheese.
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? While in high school, I was in an Aviation Program and flew an airplane as a co-pilot, and initially went to Western Michigan University to study Aviation.
How do you spend your summer breaks? I typically spend my summer breaks traveling and spending time with my family and friends and trying to do as little pre-planning as possible.
Ms. Sharon Hampton-Maydun
Ms. Hampton-Maydun is the Principal of Verona Elementary.
What was your favorite book as a child? Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? By Judy Blume
What is your favorite food? Crab legs
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? I learned to drive when I was 8 years old.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a secretary like my mom.
How do you spend your summer breaks? I enjoy spending time walking every day around my community and spending time with my family.
What is your favorite thing about being a principal? I get to have an impact on the lives of all of the students in my school.
What is a quote or saying you live by? My dad always told me to be kind to everyone. I live by that every day.
Mr. Calvin Williams
Mr. Williams is the Principal of W.K. Kellogg Preparatory High.
What is your favorite food? Ham
What is your favorite book? The Exorcist
What did you want to be when you grew up? An NCAA volleyball coach
Even though October was Principal Appreciation Month, it's never a bad time to reach out and thank your student's principal or shoot them a note about one of their fantastic teachers!