Head principal Dr. Jim Pritchett is retiring at the end of this academic year, and students and teachers alike are wondering what the new head principal will be like. Dr. Corey Ray will be replacing Dr. Pritchett in the next school year; students from Wyman Elementary may remember him as their own principal.

Dr. Ray doesn’t plan on trying to change the school and would rather focus on getting to know the school and how things work.

“The number one plan is just to understand the operations of the building, get to know the kids, get to know the teachers, the support staff, and build those relationships with them, and then make a decision once I get this data in the direction that we need to go to approve the thing we need to do for the kids. [There’s] not gonna be wide sweeping changes right off the bat,” explained Dr. Ray. 

Many kids who went to Wyman during their elementary years have fond memories of their previous principal and are excited to have him as a principal again. 

“A third of [the Rolla High School] population already knows who I am [and] has been with me so they can understand the kind of person I am. So, I hope they are excited about me coming. I’m excited to be with them again,” stated Dr. Ray. 

A previous Wyman Elementary student, Freshman Eleora Kallman, remembers Dr. Ray fondly.

“He has been the best principal I’ve ever had,” said Kallman.

Some people might be worried about getting a principal who is used to directing young children, but Dr. Ray has experience teaching high schoolers.

“I was a math teacher for one year before I became assistant principal for five years. So prior to coming to Wyman, all I knew was high school. So going back to it, here at the end of my career, it’s kind of exciting,” explained Dr. Ray.

Dr. Ray will miss his current position, but he thinks it’s time to make a change. 

“I think in leadership, at times there’s a shelf life for effectiveness. I’m very proud of what we’ve done here, and where we’re at, but I think it’s time for them to hear a new voice and gain new leadership,” stated Dr. Ray.

Dr. Ray is looking forward to the new year at Rolla High School, and helping a new group of kids.

“I think it’s very exciting, and I’ve been at Wyman for ten years so it’ll be nice to have a new challenge,” said Dr. Ray.