Southlake Times > News
Duhon ready to lead Carroll
By Chris Roark, croark@starlocalnews.com
Shawn Duhon’s biggest challenge at Carroll Senior High School might just be finding an area that actually needs improvement.
Duhon, who was named Carroll’s new principal June 4, said he doesn’t plan to reinvent anything at the school, just carry on the excellence Carroll has experienced for years.
“Carroll has been so great for so long,” Duhon said. “I’m not looking to change anything. Maybe just fine tune some of the details. With the great staff that we already have, I just want to fix the small things.”
Duhon, who takes over for Mike Rhodes, who retired at the end of the school year, knows first-hand about Carroll’s strong tradition. He was an assistant principal at Dawson Middle School in 2008-2009. Plus, his wife, Christie, also works at Carroll High School. And he has two sons in the district as well.
“I know about the tradition of excellence that Carroll stands for,” Duhon said. “My family has been here. And I want to be a part of it.”
Duhon began his education career as a biology teacher and football coach at Grand Prairie High School, where he spent eight years. He then spent three years as assistant principal at Bowie High School in Arlington before going to Dawson.
His last stop before returning to Carroll ISD was at Northwest High School in Justin, where he spent three years as an associate principal.
“Northwest is a growing district, and I saw myself growing and maturing there,” Duhon said. “When the Carroll principal job opened up the first time, I didn’t apply. I felt good being at Northwest. But when [Carroll administrators] didn’t find a candidate and posted the opening again, I felt like that was something I should look into if the time was right. I felt like this was a more powerful decision than just me making it.”
Dr. JJ Villarreal, assistant superintendent of student services, said Duhon’s strengths of relationship building and leadership is one of several attributes Duhon will bring to Carroll.
Duhon said he hopes to bring other things as well, namely ideas that were successful at Northwest.
One of those is the President’s Club, though Duhon said he hasn’t settled on a name for the program once it is implemented at Carroll.
“I want to get a member of each of the clubs we have, and I want us all to get together and talk about how to improve the high school experience for everyone,” Duhon said. “Even though Carroll is already great. Because we all have different ideas and have different backgrounds.”
Duhon said another program he was involved in early on in his career was a meet-and-greet with students’ fathers to help foster parent support.
And he also stresses the need to reach out to all students to make sure they’re recognized for the work they do, especially the ones who are often overlooked.
“Maybe we have some middle-of-the-road kids,” Duhon said. “I want to recognize them because it’s important that they see the limelight, too.”
Duhon will begin those plans soon as his first day on the job is July 2.
Duhon, who was named Carroll’s new principal June 4, said he doesn’t plan to reinvent anything at the school, just carry on the excellence Carroll has experienced for years.
“Carroll has been so great for so long,” Duhon said. “I’m not looking to change anything. Maybe just fine tune some of the details. With the great staff that we already have, I just want to fix the small things.”
Duhon, who takes over for Mike Rhodes, who retired at the end of the school year, knows first-hand about Carroll’s strong tradition. He was an assistant principal at Dawson Middle School in 2008-2009. Plus, his wife, Christie, also works at Carroll High School. And he has two sons in the district as well.
“I know about the tradition of excellence that Carroll stands for,” Duhon said. “My family has been here. And I want to be a part of it.”
Duhon began his education career as a biology teacher and football coach at Grand Prairie High School, where he spent eight years. He then spent three years as assistant principal at Bowie High School in Arlington before going to Dawson.
His last stop before returning to Carroll ISD was at Northwest High School in Justin, where he spent three years as an associate principal.
“Northwest is a growing district, and I saw myself growing and maturing there,” Duhon said. “When the Carroll principal job opened up the first time, I didn’t apply. I felt good being at Northwest. But when [Carroll administrators] didn’t find a candidate and posted the opening again, I felt like that was something I should look into if the time was right. I felt like this was a more powerful decision than just me making it.”
Dr. JJ Villarreal, assistant superintendent of student services, said Duhon’s strengths of relationship building and leadership is one of several attributes Duhon will bring to Carroll.
Duhon said he hopes to bring other things as well, namely ideas that were successful at Northwest.
One of those is the President’s Club, though Duhon said he hasn’t settled on a name for the program once it is implemented at Carroll.
“I want to get a member of each of the clubs we have, and I want us all to get together and talk about how to improve the high school experience for everyone,” Duhon said. “Even though Carroll is already great. Because we all have different ideas and have different backgrounds.”
Duhon said another program he was involved in early on in his career was a meet-and-greet with students’ fathers to help foster parent support.
And he also stresses the need to reach out to all students to make sure they’re recognized for the work they do, especially the ones who are often overlooked.
“Maybe we have some middle-of-the-road kids,” Duhon said. “I want to recognize them because it’s important that they see the limelight, too.”
Duhon will begin those plans soon as his first day on the job is July 2.
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