Since joining the Rock Ridge community, Assistant Principal Jennifer Cavanaugh has played a pivotal role in shaping the school’s dynamic community. From hiring and mentoring new teachers to guiding students through their high school journey, Cavanaugh has been a constant source of inspiration. 

Over her decade at Rock Ridge, Cavanaugh has developed numerous programs to support the new students stepping foot into high school for the first time. Perhaps the most impactful example is the WINGS Mentorship Program, which she started in her second year at Rock Ridge in 2016. The program sought to pair up the graduating senior class with the freshmen. The upperclassmen shared their top tips and tricks for navigating these important four years through this program. What originally started as a small initiative grew to a 130-member student-led program defining the school’s welcoming culture. This kind of community building is what shapes Cavanaugh’s legacy as an influential assistant principal at Rock Ridge.

In a recent interview, Cavanaugh shared her reflections on a decade-long time at Rock Ridge, including what she will miss and look forward to the most.

What moments stand out to you as the most meaningful from your time at Rock Ridge?

C: “The first graduating class, because I was here in the second year they opened, and I helped organize and oversee [their] graduation at Rock Ridge. [Another] moment that comes to mind is [when] I helped lead the school through its first accreditation in the spring of 2017, and then its second time around in the spring of 2022.”

Is there a moment or memory that always makes you smile?

C: “Coming up again, this Thursday, is our flight check day for the [WINGS] program. It is a team bonding and getting to know each other kind of day, but there are also competitions and different events that mentors compete in. It is a culmination of the year and sets off a new program for the [next] upcoming school year. That day has always been a very significant day for me at Rock Ridge.”

What would you say it means to be a part of this school community?

C: “[Having good] relationships. I have met so many people over the last 10 years at Rock Ridge, from the students to the parents [to] the staff, just lots of connections. This is the sixth high school I’ve worked at in my career, so I always have lingering relationships with all of them, and those connections [never] go away. I think that the most important part is that you leave your mark through the personal aspect, like taking the time to make those connections, and then sustaining those over time.”

What values or philosophies guided you as an assistant principal?

C: “When I was learning to be an administrator, a long time ago now, one of my mentors, whose name was Dr. Harderback, taught me this phrase. She said, ‘People by day, paper by night.’ What that means is that you always remember that–whether it’s the students, the parents, or the teachers–they all have needs, and it’s during that time you need to make sure that you’re meeting those needs and helping them in the best way that you can. That needs to be your priority and your focus.”

What do you think makes a great school leader?

C: “A great school leader is someone who puts the people they lead before themselves. [Someone] who makes sure that they are doing whatever they can to provide the best support to the people before them. As a school leader, we are instructional heads, and our job is to support the teachers who, in turn, [support] the students. We need to make sure that we have provided the teachers with the tools and resources and whatever it is they need from us so they can be the best they can be because the ultimate priority of a school is to make sure the students are safe and receive a good education.”

What are you most excited about in this new chapter at Potomac Falls?

C: “Meeting new people and making new connections – that is my number one thing. I want to get to know their community, the parents, the students, the staff, just like I did here at Rock Ridge.”

What will you miss most?

C: “The people, and I am so cliche, but the front office staff, in particular, are an amazing group of people, and so are the teachers. I had a loss in my family–my mom passed away last year– and I don’t think I would have made it through that part of my life and her illness and everything that happened if I hadn’t been surrounded by just a phenomenal group of front office staff, teachers, everybody.”

Is there something you wish you could tell every student before you leave?

C: “We are at a school where students are very driven, and that is a great thing. You want to have goals and set your sights on things. I [completely] believe in that. My whole life has been driven by setting goals and markers for myself that I want to achieve. [For example], I wanted to be a teacher, then I wanted to be an assistant principal, and so on. But what I want to say is, don’t lose sight of the people in your life and the relationships. Don’t sacrifice so much of that [the people] to achieve one [victory]. If you have an opportunity to spend time with your grandparents or your family or your friends, take it.”

What have you learned during your time at Rock Ridge that you will carry with you into your next position?

C: “I have learned a lot from Rock Ridge. I was [also] an assistant principal at Broad Run for six years, and each school in my career has taught me new lessons that have made me a better leader, a better educator, and a better person. I learned a lot about hiring. Mr. Duellman gave [me] an opportunity to hire a lot of staff members. That was an excellent opportunity for me to help find teachers who would be great for our staff and for our students to work with. This is one part of that journey that is important to who I will be going forward into my next job.”