After leaving for six weeks to fill in for a position in Central Office in the county, Principal Ellen Reilly has finally returned to share her experiences.

“[An administrator], who was the executive principal who was filling in for Lake Braddock until they found a new principal, so she was there since November,” Reilly said. “Our assistant superintendent [for region two], Dr. Fabio Zuluaga, asked me if I would be willing to come over and help out because he needed the secondary school experience in his office.” 

Reilly was able to obtain this position in Central Office after one of the executive principals for region two (our school region) was moved to Lake Braddock for the time being. This position was brought to her by one of the other executive principals, Dr. Zuluaga, who recognized her potential for the position, and was a step up from her position of being a principal at one school.

“Each region has two executive principals, and there are five regions in the county,” Reilly said. “It was an opportunity, and it really helped Mr. Barham [who] got the experience to be the acting principal, so I did it more for him.”

Unlike being a principal, the position Reilly was filling in for was more one of an executive position, where should would oversee schools in the county on all levels. In this, rather than working with students and teachers in one place, she would move around and oversee the functions of different school from all around the county.

“The part that I really enjoyed was I got to work with new principals,” Reilly said. “I liked going over there and talking to them, helping them get set up, or [answering] questions that they have.”

While it was a step up from her position as principal, Reilly prefers to stay in the same environment rather than moving between them, which is why in the end, she ultimately missed being here, and is now happy to be back and reclaim her position as head principal of the school.       

“Here, it’s dealing more with kids and going into classrooms and working with teachers, and that to me is more fun,” Reilly said.