| Rodriguez
Leaves Different SL High |
By Erick Soricelli
Observer Staff Writer |
| South Lakes High School principal Realista "Rely" Rodriguez
will step down at the end of this school year, but she isn't
counting the days until classes let out for summer break. |
| "I am not a lame-duck principal," she said. "I have not
changed my daily work habits. I am stepping it up because
I know I will miss the student activities. They see me at
soccer, basketball games, art openings." |
| Rodriguez, principal at South Lakes since 1998, will take
a position with Fairfax County schools' human resources department
starting in July to help recruit minority educators to the
school system. |
| Rodriguez has worked in the county school system for 31
years, coming to South Lakes after a year as principal of
Pimmit Hills Alternative High School in Falls Church, which
is where the previous South Lakes principal, William Harper,
transferred. |
| Rodriguez decided to leave in part because the school is
scheduled for renovation starting this summer. She said a
school should have one principal throughout a renovation.
"I've been in education for 31 years and renovation lasts
between three to five years," she said. |
| Rodriguez brought several changes to South Lakes, including
introducing an international baccalaureate program, an advanced
college-prep curriculum and a focus on international education. |
| The school has also received several grants during Rodriguez's
tenure, including MetLife Bridge Builders grants in 2003 and
2004. The MetLife grants go to principals and schools showing
ties between faculty and the surrounding community. |
| Educators from Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Philippines and
Bosnia have visited the school, and the South Lakes International
Club for Education and Entertainment (SLICE) was established
during Rodriguez's tenure. |
| School resource officer David Tipton described Rodriguez
as a "very safety-oriented person" who has talked to students
about gangs and violence. "She constantly puts students on
the forefront of everything," Tipton said. "She's probably
one of the first in the morning and one of the last to leave
at night." |
| "Rely's just been a tireless advocate of the school and
kids," said Bruce Butler, South Lakes assistant principal
for seniors. |
| But there were challenges when Rodriguez walked through
the school's doors in 1998. For one, the school had more students
than computers. Rodriguez said the school has worked to add
more computers. |
| She was also concerned about teachers leaving for jobs in
Loudoun County, which for some would mean working closer to
home. Rodriguez said some but not many teachers moved to Loudoun
schools. |
| South Lakes students have mixed feelings about her departure.
"She was cool, she got along with all the students," said
sophomore Emily Salazar, 16. "She would say hi to you and
start a conversation." |
| "She has her good days and her bad days," said freshman
Curtis Keys, 15. He added that he and other students want
to rid the school of a reputation he said the school has for
fights. |
| "All I'm worried about is who's going to take over as principal,"
said junior Martin Coon, 18. |
| |
