With a love for administration and the community at Pahrump Valley High School, Mrs. DesireeVeloz, the principal, and Mrs. Kristin Baker, one of the assistant principals, both work hard every day to keep the school running efficiently. 

A principal is the instructional leader of a school, focusing on its impact on the school as a whole. Assistant principals are there to assist and support the principal with managing the daily operations. “If schools ran the way that we ideally wanted them to, if all the students did exactly what they’re supposed to do, all the teachers did exactly what they’re supposed to do, and we never had anything break down along the way, my job would not be necessary.” Said Baker. 

The principal and assistant principals each have specific things they’re in charge of running. For Veloz, it’s the leadership team, counseling, the English department, 12th-grade students, custodians, and more. Mrs. Baker specifically is in charge of athletics, 11th grade, PE, science, safety, and emergencies.

Being a principal isn’t easy work in the slightest. Veloz believes the most difficult part is “Navigating the dynamics of relationships.” She stated that, “While we are all pointed to the same outcomes, centered on students and staff learning at high levels, oftentimes, we have different ideas on how to arrive there, which can be challenging.” 

 There are things most people wouldn’t expect a principal to do that have to be taken care of every day. “As the leader, I feel I should be willing to do anything I ask others to do.  So, I have cleaned messes, waited after school for parents, taught classes, broken up fights, written strategic plans, ridden in an ambulance with a student, etc. The work looks new every day. The key is to remain focused, so the purpose is not hijacked,” Veloz says. 

The amount of things to be done is almost overwhelming, but both Veloz and Baker find aspects of the daily work rewarding. Veloz says that her favorite part is “Interacting with people. I believe that wherever you are, you should be present. That brings me joy.” For Baker, the best part of her job is getting to manage athletics. “I really like managing athletic events because I like watching the kids that I know doing things that they’re good at.” 

Mrs. Veloz’s best piece of advice for a student who wants to be a principal when they’re older is to take every experience as a learning opportunity. “We always can learn whether a strategy is good or bad. And, remain centered on students and families. You must be grounded in vision for what is best for students, staff, and the community,” she says. For Mrs. Baker, receiving good guidance and leadership as a teacher helped inspire her to become the administrator that she is. “Having been in the classroom so long, I know what classroom teachers need, and I want my teachers to feel comfortable coming to me and saying, ‘Hey, this isn’t happening, I need it to happen so I can do my job, ’” She said.

Being a principal at Pahrump Valley High School is never easy, but without the hardworking people who oversee its operations and keep everything running, students wouldn’t have the safe and fun learning environment they do. If you’re inspired by the impact that strong leadership can have on people’s lives, consider pursuing educational administration and working hard to help the next generation of students.