The Poplar Bluff Middle School will welcome its first Poplar Bluff native in 15 years to serve as principal for the upcoming school year.
Stephanie Hillis of the High School Class of 2007 was hired by the Board of Education in February to succeed Dr. Josh Teeter, who accepted a superintendent position in the Bootheel.
The Middle School’s last internal principal was Patty Robertson, now retired as assistant superintendent of curriculum, who happened to serve as Hillis’ second grade teacher.
“I grew up in this building,” exclaimed Hillis of the Victory Lane campus, formerly the High School. “I know where the storage closets are in the gym!”
Hillis’ mother Carla Henderson was employed as assistant principal at the High School before being named the first female principal of Junior High in 2009.
In addition to being a “true mule,” a term coined by the late Wesley Lewis, a lifelong security officer at PBHS, Hillis was self-admittedly stubborn like the mascot is considered to be as a teenager.
"Bound and determined not to be like mom," Hillis started her collegiate journey at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, before switching majors to education in year four.
“I had the ability to do education naturally,” Hillis came to admit. “I graduated at the top of my class.”
With some substitute teaching experience, Hillis transferred to Three Rivers, then completed her bachelor’s from Central Methodist University in Fayette, majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. In 2012/13, she took a job as an aide in the Special Education Department for the elementary grade-span, while coaching PBHS Cheerleading.
For the next five years, Hillis taught biology at PBHS, creating hands-on experiences such as starting a cadaver lab for her anatomy and physiology class when the secondary campus moved to Oak Grove Road. She would go on to earn her master’s in education administration from William Woods University in Fulton.
“I’m that crazy cheer coach stereotype—my personality is upbeat—mixed with the ‘Weird Science,’” Hillis explained. “If I wouldn’t have gone to pharmacy school, I would not have the tools and resources that I brought to class. Therefore, it did benefit me.”
During the 2019/20 school year, Hillis was promoted to assistant principal at PBHS, having earned her specialist degree in educational leadership from William Woods. PBHS Principal Dr. Valerie Ivy then served as an instructional technology facilitator at the High School the year Hillis started there. The duo later worked alongside one another as assistant principals until Ivy advanced to leading the building.
“I know she will lead with intentionality and will always keep sight on the true mission of our work—our students. She is a true team player and always does what is best for kids, even through difficult decisions and situations,” stated Ivy, now entering the fourth year of her principalship. “…With Mrs. Hillis leading, I am confident that PBMS will reach new heights in student achievement and school culture.”
While the Middle School is considered a large upper elementary, Hillis notes that she comes from an even bigger building and has experience serving on an administrative team as opposed to being a “singleton” like the lower elementary administrators. “Teamwork is my focus right now,” she said.
Hillis was a cheerleader on the Varsity Cheer Squad when Mules Basketball won its second consecutive Class 5 State championship. She later led the PBHS Competition Cheer Squad to back-to-back Class 4 Large Squad division state championships as varsity cheer coach.
“I dabbled in everything, working my way up with the opportunities I had as a student-teacher, coach and as principal, keeping that sense of pride and school spirit,” Hillis said. “I always had my eye set on the Middle School—I don’t know if I can explain it. There’s just something intriguing I’m drawn to.”
Hillis’ children, Kale and Emmalee, will join her as fourth and sixth graders at the Middle School, the home of Tyler Hansbrough Court in E.T. Peter’s Gym, where the now second-generation principal has performed many “back handsprings,” she noted.
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Cutline: After being a part of the PBHS administrative team for several years, Stephanie Hillis has advanced to leading the Middle School.