A Thank You to My Principal, Tim Liles

Advertisement

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, May/June 2021 Issue

By Abigail Smurr

“Welcome to the Wildcat family!” said a friendly voice on the other end of the phone. It was the spring of 2019 and Tim Liles, Principal of Sunnyside High School in Fresno, CA, had just informed me that I’d been hired as an ELA teacher.

We had met a few weeks earlier at my job interview. He was a tall, slightly balding man, and he’d greeted me with a big smile on his face. During the interview, he was personable and straightforward, and made an effort to make sure I felt comfortable.

I’ll always remember one question he asked me: “Is it important for the kids to like you?” I found out afterwards that he asked each applicant the same thing, because he was looking for particular qualities in his staff. But I thought the question said a lot about him too, about own his values and the culture he wanted to create at Sunnyside.

After I was hired, Principal Liles took me on a personal tour of the campus. It was important to him that we got to know each other, and this gave us the chance to build a connection before the school year started. We spent over an hour talking about our lives and about why he loved the school.

Subscribe to Keep Reading

🔑 You’re one step away from unlocking premium content.
Subscribe now for just $15.99/year and get full access!
If you’re already subscribed, please .

Abigail Smurr currently teaches at Sunnyside High School as an 11th grade ELA teacher. She received her MA in Curriculum and Instruction from California State University of Fresno in 2019.

Education News

Common Sense Media Releases New AI Toolkit for School Districts

The toolkit provides teachers and district leaders with practical tools to facilitate AI adoption.

Ohio Teacher Wins Summer Getaway in “Sunshine for Teachers” Contest

The grand prize winner and 19 first prize winners celebrated with their schools during schoolwide smoothie parties hosted by Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

Helping Students Become Lifelong Readers

The best way to inspire today’s youth to read is by building a culture that celebrates their book choices and makes reading as fun and engaging as the media they already love.

How (and Why) to Make Classrooms More Musical

Music is a language that reaches across age, culture, and ability. And when we learn to use it with care and creativity, it becomes one of the most accessible and powerful tools we have in education.

Join Our Newsletter

Get 10% off a subscription, monthly giveaways, and the latest updates—straight to your inbox!

Abigail Smurr
Abigail Smurr
Abigail Smurr currently teaches at Sunnyside High School as an 11th grade ELA teacher. She received her MA in Curriculum and Instruction from California State University of Fresno in 2019.

Advertisement

Read More

Anti-racism and Activist Education: Empowering the Next Generation

Educators play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of changemakers, especially when it comes to addressing racism.

Common Sense Media Releases New AI Toolkit for School Districts

The toolkit provides teachers and district leaders with practical tools to facilitate AI adoption.

Ohio Teacher Wins Summer Getaway in “Sunshine for Teachers” Contest

The grand prize winner and 19 first prize winners celebrated with their schools during schoolwide smoothie parties hosted by Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

Paths to Success: Practicing Hope Theory in the Classroom

Throughout the decade I have spent working in education, I’ve seen the most positive impact when I’ve incorporated hope-based strategies into my teaching.

Helping Students Become Lifelong Readers

The best way to inspire today’s youth to read is by building a culture that celebrates their book choices and makes reading as fun and engaging as the media they already love.

How (and Why) to Make Classrooms More Musical

Music is a language that reaches across age, culture, and ability. And when we learn to use it with care and creativity, it becomes one of the most accessible and powerful tools we have in education.