Charles Henderson High School students, teachers, parents, Troy City Board, and Troy community, it has been an honor and privilege to serve as principal at CHHS. Although my time at CHHS was for one year, it proved to be one of the best professional years and experiences of my life. I will be forever grateful.

CHHS students, thank you for letting me learn from you, grow with you, and share precious moments in our lives together. Thank you for letting me in, for sharing your stories, and for respecting me. I have been in education for 27 years, and I have never been a part of a more respectful student body. Likewise, you are among the brightest and most capable of students. Evidence of this is as simple as noting that just over 100 CHHS seniors took home $1.7 million in scholarship money this year. Rising seniors make it $2 million!

CHHS teachers, thank you for allowing me to sometimes lead, sometimes follow, and sometimes get out of the way. You are an awesome faculty. Keep your passion for students, your focus on learning, and your commitment to taking CHHS from good to great.

CHHS parents, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child’s life. There is no greater compliment. At the beginning of the school year we lost a student in an automobile accident and last week we lost another student. My prayers are with these two families. While you do not need me to remind you, I am going to take liberty to do so anyway . . . love your children, hug and hold your children, nurture and teach your children, make time and reserve energy for your children, advocate for your children when they are right and hold your children responsible when they are wrong, and remember to direct them to the path of their Creator.

Troy City Board and Dr. Linda Felton-Smith, thank you for giving me such a great assignment. Dr. Felton, your selection of me as principal, your support, and your encouragement have meant so much to me. David Helms, Chresal Threadgill, and Mr. Jimmy Mathews, your guidance and direction have kept us on course. I thank each of you for your leadership.

Troy community, I have loved living in Troy. I often walked and jogged through the TU campus, and I had great flashbacks to my time as a student at TSU. What a great university it was and is now under the capable leadership of Dr. Jack Hawkins. I am proud my daughter chose to attend TU as we continue our family tradition of being Trojans! Arts in the community have added great value to living in Troy. And, the civic clubs in Troy have a genuine servant leadership approach to supporting the community. It was my privilege to be a part of the Troy Rotary, and I thank the Rotarians for allowing me membership.

My move to Monroe County to become superintendent of Monroe County School District is exciting, but know that I leave with a heart full of gratitude to you.

Thanks and may God bless Troy City Schools, Troy University, and the City of Troy.

Dr. Kathy Murphy  was the principal of Charles Henderson High School for the 2010-2011.