West's Rodgers named High School Principal of the Year
Jun. 12—West Lauderdale High School Principal Shane Rodgers has been named as the Mississippi Association of Secondary School Principals' High School Principal of the Year.
Rodgers will formally be recognized for the honor during the MASSP conference being held this week on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
"I am honored to be recognized for this award, and I am very humbled to be recognized for this award," Rodgers said in a prepared video message from the Lauderdale County School District.
Rodgers has worked as a teacher, bus driver, assistant principal and principal during his 19 years in education.
A 1999 graduate of Saltillo High School, Rodgers earned his bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in education from Delta State University.
He began his teaching career at Olive Branch Middle School in 2004, serving as an 8th grade science teacher. He also coached middle school and high school football.
In 2008, he and his family moved to Kosciusko, where he taught drug education and coached football and tennis for two years at the high school while also attending the University of Mississippi to earn a Specialist of Education degree in Educational Leadership. In 2010, he moved to Kosciusko Junior High School to become assistant principal for three years before moving back to the high school to serve as assistant principal. He has served as West Lauderdale's principal since July 2016.
Rodgers said his advice for fellow educators is to discover your passion and follow it.
"Make sure you have your passion," he said. "Mine has always been to educate youth and I love being around kids. It keeps me young."
Contact Glenda Sanders at gsanders@themeridianstar.com.
