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CCHS names new principal
John W. Werner will begin his duties as the new principal at Clarke County High School in Berryville on July 1.Following a brief closed-door session June 23, the School Board announced its selection of Werner, who has been an educator and administrator in the Fairfax County school system for 14 years. The post became vacant when the current principal, Frances Ball, said in April that she would resign effective June 30.
Werner on Monday signed a one-year contract with the board for a starting salary of $105,000, chairman Robina Rich Bouffault said.
Werner said he was attracted by the quality of the county’s school system, as well as the opportunity to work in a smaller school setting and be involved in the community.
“When you’ve got a school of 800 kids and I can know every student that’s in the building – every name, every student, and they know who I am, the principal, I think that’s the way to go,” Werner said.
At schools with student populations in the thousands, “It becomes student numbers rather than students,” he added.
Werner said he looks forward to working with newly appointed Superintendent Michael Murphy, who is scheduled to start July 14, as they learn about the school system.
Werner is formerly an assistant principal at Westfield High School in Chantilly, which has more than 3,100 students. He also served as a social studies teacher and varsity head coach at Herndon High School.
He has a bachelor’s degree in history and two master’s degrees – one in curriculum and instruction and another in school administration – from George Mason University, and is working toward a doctorate degree.
Bouffault said that the board determined that Werner had a “true handle on all aspects of running a high school,” particularly skills in curricular matters, discipline, organization, and athletic coaching. Other board members agreed, praising his experience.
His first priority, Werner said, will be “to listen and learn from all the folks, to try to build some committees, to be able to hear what’s going on.”
“I need to kind of get a pulse on things first about what’s happening, build on the successes that are here,” he added.
“My primary strength is bringing people together in a cooperative, collaborative group and being able to facilitate discussions and get down to the root causes of things,” he noted. “I’m a team builder.”
Werner was the clear choice as the board and school officials winnowed down the roster of five finalists for the job. “He was the guy we all wanted,” Acting Superintendent John Taylor said.
Werner’s wife, April, is a science teacher with Loudoun County Public Schools. They have four children.
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