By VERNON ROBISON
The Progress
Virgin Valley High School assistant principal Steven Waite has been appointed as the new principal of the school. Effective July 1, Waite will replace former VVHS principal Mike Wilson who is retiring.
In an interview with The Progress, Waite said that he is both excited and proud to be able to lead the next phase of Virgin Valley High School.
“This place has always been home to me,” Waite said of the school and the community. “It has been vitally important to me both in my personal development and also that of my career.”
Waite grew up in the Virgin Valley. He graduated from VVHS in 1994. After college he returned and began teaching English at the school in 2002.
He joined the ranks of school administration in 2018 when he was promoted to assistant principal where he has served until this month.
Waite acknowledged the influence of a whole line of administrators who have shaped his career. These included DeLos Perkins, Dave Wilson, Cliff Hughes (who had been his coach in high school), Maury Perkins, Riley Frei (who was first to hire him as an administrator) and then Mike Wilson.
“My whole leadership pathway has been paved with just immensely good men and women,” Waite said. “So obviously I’m just very grateful for all of them.”
Looking forward to the future vision for VVHS, Waite emphasized that the school is on a solid path.
“I look at VVHS and I don’t feel like its in a rut that needs to be corrected or anything,” Waite said. “I feel like the men and women before me have done a phenomenal job. I feel like the front office, the staff, the teachers are in a good place. So I don’t envision it needing an overhaul. I am just eager to work with these great people.”
Waite said that he plans to spend some time developing strong relationships in the community. “The principal is kind of a political position in a way,” he said. “You’re not just working in a classroom. There is the district leadership, the city, the parents; there are just a lot of relationships to keep in balance. And what it really all comes down to is doing what is best for the kids and providing them the best opportunities once they graduate.”
Waite said that he would like to beef up the school’s College and Career Center so that it can better address both the needs of current students as well as those who may have recently graduated and now need a little help to get into a career.
“We have a few kids who graduate and end up staying home and working in Mesquite,” Waite said.
Then three years later they realize that, ‘Hey, this is not what I want!’,” Waite said. “I want any VVHS alumnus to be able to walk back in and we have knowledgable people who can be conversant about multiple occupations and trade schools – as well as scholarship opportunities.”
Waite acknowledged that there are a lot of community resources available in Mesquite to help in realizing this vision. “We have a group of local retirees who come in and mentor our students,” Waite said. “Plus we have an excellent new STEAM Center and there are a lot of businesses in town; the Eureka, for example; that are willing to put money into helping young people. We are fortunate that way in this community.”
Waite said that he likes to use a collaborative approach to management in the realm of education. He recalled a favorite quote from past VVHS administrator Elwin Whipple who liked to say: “I lift thee and you lift me and we both ascend together.”
“That expresses how I feel about being the principal,” Waite said. “When it comes to a vision for a school, I’ve learned that it has to be developed with the buy-in of teachers and staff and community – if you want it to be effective. That is so much better than forcing one person’s vision on everyone.”
In an interview last week, outgoing VVHS principal Mike Wilson said that he was pleased to be leaving the school in such able hands.
“I am just excited for Steven to come on board,” Wilson said of Waite. “He is going to do wonderful things with the community as principal up here at the high school.”
Wilson retires after 30 years working at Clark County School District in various roles. He began his career teaching in the classroom at a number of different Las Vegas valley schools.
He moved to the Virgin Valley community in 2002 and became principal at J.L. Bowler Elementary in Bunkerville where he stayed for 13 years.
He then took a job in the CCSD central office as director over school safety where he served for 8 years.
Then he capped off his career serving as VVHS principal for the past 2 years.
“I have had a wonderful career with lots of different opportunities,” Wilson said. “But I think the thing I am going to miss the most is interacting with teachers, students and parents. That was the whole reason that I got into the job in the first place.”
