Principals from all 11 CISD campuses came together Thursday morning to answer students’ most pressing questions for the Carroll Education Foundation’s second annual Meet The Principals event. Principals, parents and CEF donors all gathered at the Carroll ISD Administration Center to eat breakfast tacos, socialize and learn a little bit more about the people leading their children on campus.
“I think we had a great turnout,” CEF Executive Director Kathy Lanier says. “It was great for our donors to get to visit with our principals individually.”
While everyone was eating, the principals were asked questions selected by some of their students. Here’s how they responded.
The zombie apocalypse is coming. Who are the three people you want on your team?
"My husband, Finn, and I’m going to go with my sister. I’ll save the sister," says Rockenbaugh Elementary School Principal Janet Blackwell.
What is in the trunk or the back of your car right now?
"I’m just one of those boy scouts who is always prepared. I have some jumper cables, I’ve got a toolbox, some screwdrivers. I have all that kind of stuff in the back of my car," says Walnut Grove Elementary School Principal Mike Landers.
What was the weirdest food you have ever eaten?
"Probably when I was in the military eating off of the street vendors. It was advertised as chicken, but when you’re in certain parts of the Middle East, you don’t see a lot of stray dogs running around, so you let your imagination run wild. Mystery meat is what we were eating," says Durham Intermediate School Principal Mike Wyrick.
What was the worst style choice you’ve ever made?
"Growing up, I had that modified Princeton [haircut]. It was like buzzed all the way except for the bangs," says Old Union Elementary School Principal John Fike.
If your life was a movie, who would play you in the leading role?
"I have a doppelganger in Ashley Judd. I’ll go with that," says Eubanks Intermediate School Principal Mary Stockton.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
"Definitely a morning person. Anytime from 4:00 on," says Carroll Elementary School Principal Stacy Wagnon.
What is the scariest or most daring thing you’ve ever done for fun?
"It’s not a bungee-jump, but it’s the big huge swing across the Royal Gorge," says Carroll Senior High School Principal Shawn Duhon.
Which birthday was your very best and why?
"My favorite was in my junior year in high school. My mother finally allowed me to have a big slumber party. We went and TP’d several houses in the neighborhood, unbeknownst to my parents, and then we got to clean it all up the next morning," says Johnson Elementary School Principal Rene Moses.
If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?
"I’m a Texan girl, so it’s really hard. But the beaches in Hawaii or Florida, that’s my idea of a vacation," says Carroll Middle School Principal Stephanie Mangels.
What is the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still talk about today?
"My brother is two years older than I am. He had his first job, and we made sure to make good use of his first paycheck to buy a BB gun. My parents didn’t know about it, and both of them worked. We had a snow day, and we had a nice big front yard. I thought that kids should stay out of our snow. We opened the window from the second floor, said get out of our snow and they didn’t. So I started shooting kids in the butt with the BB gun because I thought you were wearing enough padding so it wouldn’t hurt that much. The funny part was when neighbors started showing up at the front door later that night. I'm hiding upstairs while both my mother and father are both adamantly telling them their boys don’t have a BB gun while my brother and I are snickering," says Dawson Middle School Principal Ryan Wilson.
If you have one day you could live all over again, which day would you pick?
"I’d probably go back to the birth of my youngest child. That’s as fun a day as I’ve ever had," says Carroll High School Principal P.J. Giamanco.