VIDEO: Hughes named new Barren County High School principal

By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1

Family, friends, and more than a few district personnel gathered at the Barren County Innovation Zone, which is located on the same campus as the Barren County High School, the Trojan Academy and the Barren County Area Technology Center, to welcome the new high school principal.

The high school position was recently vacated by Amy Irwin after she was named as the new district superintendent on June 4. After brief remarks by Irwin, current Assistant Principal Letitia Hughes was announced as the person who would be filling the position effective July 1 — the same day Irwin will assume the role and responsibilities of the superintendent.

“Mrs. Hughes has demonstrated true dedication to the students and staff of Barren County High School,” Irwin said. “Her commitment to excellence and powerful work ethic make her a strong leader, and I am certain she will guide our students and staff towards continued excellence.”

Hughes attended Western Kentucky University and, in 1994, received her bachelor’s degree in middle grades education with a minor in agriculture. Later, specifically four years later, she earned a master’s in middle grades education. In 2010 she earned Rank I in educational leadership.

During the four years between 1994 and 1998 Hughes worked at Metcalfe County Middle School. She has served the Barren County School District in a variety of positions for the past 26 years. Most recently she served as one of the high school’s assistant principals and principal of the Early College Magnet Program since 2012, however Hughes also served as an English teacher, a Beta sponsor, an academic coach, a curriculum specialist, Gifted and Talented coordinator and a AP Language and Composition teacher.

This hiring process was not quite as intensive as the superintendent search process — which lasted several months, incurred several closed sessions, the assembling of a search committee and assistance from the Kentucky School Board Association. According to prior reporting the BCHS position had to be listed 15 days before a principal could be chosen. Concurrently with that there was some training of the site-based decision making council members.

Using that framework, Heather Gardner said, district communications officer, Hughes was decided by a majority vote of the SBDM council members and sent to Superintendent Bo Matthews for approval.