Nederland Middle Senior High School (NMSHS) has appointed a new principal, Gavan Goodrich, replacing interim principal Mark Sibley. He will officially take the position in July and, according to Robbyn Fernandez, Assistant Superintendent of BVSD, is the candidate our staff and students were hoping for.

As Goodrich puts it, “I love working within schools, developing systems that deliver successful outcomes for all students. Some of my biggest challenges have been to ensure that each student made it to the finish line, so that they could go after their choices and dreams. Lastly, I still get a creative and strategic kick out of my work. The drive for learning and growth happens everyday for me. Knowing our mission is being pursued gets me up and out the door, and on to school everyday.

Goodrich’s first career was in the advertising business. He says he enjoyed the creativity and interaction with people, as well as the strategic aspects of marketing. However, after 10 years working in Chicago and San Francisco, he realized that advertising wasn’t enough.

“What was missing for me was the mission part of the work,” he says. “As I started to explore my ‘why’ I realized that helping others and supporting young people was my true mission.”

Goodrich has now had 28 years of experience in education and has enjoyed fulfilling his mission every day. He has been a secondary principal for 18 years, leading Lovejoy High School, Sloan Creek Middle School, and more. Recently, he has gained experience working at two BVSD alternative schools, including McLain Community High School.

Though he doesn’t feel ready to leave McLain, Goodrich says that he sees NMSHS as a chance to get involved in the community. “I have a strong background in leading neighborhood schools, and saw this a nice fit for my skill set and my interests,” he wrote.

Goodrich hopes to begin his principalship in Nederland by simply observing the school. “I am not one to jump in and make any drastic changes or moves right away,” he said. “After reviewing the school’s recent performance data and student success rates, I would like to work with teachers and parents to determine the areas of focus for our work in and out of the classroom. As for hopes for the school, I will be working closely with students to find out what they want for their school, and then work with them to make their interests a reality over time.”

He is interested in supporting academic success, but also maintains a focus on personal growth. “I believe that schools need to meet the needs of individual students and have the ability to support the growth and development of the whole student - body, mind and character.”

An essential part of this success is the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, in which Goodrich has experience from previous schools. “My hope is that our schools support students and the places they want to ascend to when they graduate,” he says. “I know that Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways in high schools can provide certificates that give students a step UP and a step IN to certain trades. I see the value of CTE programming and will continue to try and make it an important offiering for all students during their time at Nederland Senior High School.”

Outside of teaching, Goodrich is a fan of college football and basketball, enjoys baking, and has run ten marathons, including the Boston Marathon. He says he appreciates the routine of the training and the challenge of the final event.

Goodrich is excited to join the NMSHS community and to meet the students and parents, and looks forward to helping each student grow and pursue their personal dreams.