Our New Principal

by Chelsea Stewart and Talia Cartwright

Shortly after school began, we went to interview the new principal within the school, Mrs. Columbus. Once finally meeting her we realized that Mrs. Columbus is a great fit to lead our school during this year and the upcoming ones as well. We had a face to face interview with Mrs. Columbus in order to get to know her better. Here’s how the interview went:

Talia: Tell me about yourself? And what are your hobbies and interests?

Mrs. Columbus: I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Doug, for 25 years. I have two daughters. Alexandra is a freshman at Kent State University and Christina is a freshman at Shenango. And I have two dogs: Rudy and Gidget. My hobbies have taken a backseat to being a mom and all of my girls’ activities such as dance. I enjoy paddle boarding and listening to ALL types of music. My husband is getting me back into golf again. I am a huge Steelers and Notre Dame fan.

Talia: Why did you decide to become a principal? What made you want to work here at Laurel?

Mrs. Columbus: I was a Curriculum Director and missed working with students, I wanted to become a principal so I could get to know the students better. I did my internship here at Laurel one summer and helped train teachers to put curriculum maps into OnHands. I fell in love with the district and the teachers at the time. Laurel is also only 3 miles from my house and this community feels like home.

Talia: What advice do you have for the students this school year?

Mrs. Columbus: You are in charge of your choices. Each day is a once in a lifetime opportunity

Talia: What did you do before coming to Laurel?

Mrs. Columbus: I taught at Union for 20 years and was the Curriculum director for 6 years at Farrell.

Talia: What do you hope to accomplish by the end of this school year?

Mrs. Columbus: To get to know and meet every student from k-12 and help reignite the fire within us all.

Talia: What is your favorite part of this job so far?

Mrs. Columbus:  First and foremost, it is getting to know the students and the staff members. I am very active and I love that I get to be in both buildings and get to see all the students k-12 everyday.

Talia: What are your opinions on the hallway walls being both a dark salmon and green? 

Mrs. Columbus: We all view things from a different perspective, I have learned in life to appreciate all things.

Talia: What college did you attend?

Mrs. Columbus: I attended Westminster College for my undergraduate studies and Gannon University for my Graduate and Certifications.

Talia: What is one thing that you want to do in your life?

Mrs. Columbus: Make the best memories, so I can say at the end, “I am glad I did” instead of, “I wish I would have.”

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Mrs. Columbus, and we hope many of you get to do the same!