Background
- Taught in four states at elementary, middle, and district levels
- Previous principal at Kedron Elementary School
- Assistant principal at Huddleston Elementary School
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in education from Fort Hays State University
- Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Kansas State University
- Master’s degree in education leadership from Kansas State University
- Specialist’s degree in educational leadership from Kansas State University
Starr’s Mill welcomes new principal Jamie Voorhies to the Panther family.
Voorhies started her education career teaching 6th grade after earning a bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University in Kansas. She then added an ESOL endorsement that allowed her to go on and pursue a higher level of education.
“The school paid for the ESOL endorsement up to 15 hours in a college,” Voorhies said. “So then I used those 15 hours to get my first master’s degree from Kansas State University. So I have a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, I have a second master’s degree in educational administration, and I have a specialist’s degree in educational leadership. So degree, to degree, to degree.”
After getting her education, Voorhies went on to teach in four states at the elementary, middle, and district levels before becoming principal at Kedron Elementary School. She was also an assistant principal in Texas and at Huddleston Elementary and received an award for Assistant Principal of the Year in 2017.
“[I want to] put systems and structures in place to help us understand this is what we’re doing that’s made us successful and this is what we can do to improve that system,” Voorhies said.
There is something special about the Panther Path schools. Kids that attend Peeples move up through each of the three schools and eventually make it to Starr’s Mill, staying on the Path their entire childhood. There is a certain community felt throughout, a community you cannot find many other places.
“I think school spirit’s a big thing, and I want students to feel like they can be a part of the school. High school is only going to be what you make it, and so let’s make it something amazing and fun and great,” Voorhies said. “Student voices are huge. Listen to the student voices and build that positive culture to ensure that we’re meeting student needs as well as making high school an experience.”
Voorhies is not here to change the entire school. She wants to take everything that Starr’s Mill is and fine tune it to be the greatest it could possibly be. Every person, every student, every school can always be better, can always strive to be greater.
“I want to build on the great things that are happening here. If we’re successful, I want to know why,” Voorhies said. “I want to know the why behind our success and explore that, and for students to be able to articulate it.”
Voorhies has worked to quickly find her footing in the community on Panther Path. She is working to build on the reputation Starr’s Mill has, and she is doing it for the students who call Starr’s Mill home. We welcome Voorhies as we usher in this new era at Starr’s Mill.