By Claire Smith, Capital High School Intern to ThurstonTalk
Many people know Capital High School’s principal, Mr. Chris Woods. He’s a great guy and always knows how to make you smile when you’re having a rough day. It’s a valuable skill and with it, he keeps the morale of CHS high.
A special thing about Mr. Woods is the bond and history he has at Capital. Having a principal who is also an alumnus is unique and Mr. Woods enjoys serving as the principal of his former school. He admits he struggled in high school, but finds that this helps him relate to and support students who also may be struggling and need a hand. In his role as principal, he can also give back to the community where he grew up.
When Mr. Woods attended CHS, he was just as involved as he is now. He played varsity football for two years and varsity baseball for three. His favorite class was leadership and that unique class stuck with him, helping shape him into the incredible leader he is today. Once he graduated, Mr. Woods attended Skagit Valley College, where he played baseball. He then transferred to Central Washington University for three years before getting his masters at City University. He then taught first and third grade for the next five years.
Mr. Woods pursued administrative work and served as the assistant principal at Reeves Middle School for two years before taking on the role of principal at Pioneer Elementary School. He led Pioneer for six years prior to being offered the principal position at Capital High School. It took a lot of thinking and weighing his options, but Mr. Woods decided to take the job. This is his fifth year at Capital High School, and the students and staff couldn’t be more grateful for his decision to return to his alma mater.
When asked why he wanted to become a principal, he shares it was purely a gut feeling. He wanted to have a greater and deeper impact on students and staff, and knew work as a principal would be the best way to accomplish this goal.
“School should be fun,” Mr. Woods shares. He strongly believes every student has the right to feel they belong and be supported by staff. He doesn’t want kids to dread coming to high school because of the atmosphere. “Every day, kids need to have the right to be heard and listened to,” he explains. With this attitude, Mr. Woods has helped positively shape the lives of countless students.
Mr. Woods also aims to ensure the teachers enjoy their job. He knows it’s tough to be a teacher and believes they get far less recognition than they deserve. One of his main goals, when becoming principal at Capital High School, was to create an atmosphere where teachers want to come to work. Teachers are encouraged to maintain a healthy balance of work and family and a family-first attitude is part of the fabric of CHS. Mr. Woods has worked to integrate this into the core philosophy of the school by modeling these values in his everyday life.
Without a doubt, one of the greatest highlights during a CHS spirit week is seeing what Mr. Woods will wear. And it’s not just spirit week that brings out his silly side. From allowing students to tape him to a post to raise awareness for the Marysville school shooting, to riling up the student section during a pep rally, to making bets with other principals on football games, there’s nothing too extravagant for Mr. Woods. His motto is “go big or go home.”
Mr. Woods has another reason for going all out for school events. He knows that often students and staff are nervous to participate in something silly like spirit week. He believes by making an example of himself and participating as much as he can, other people will be less nervous. “Being willing to have fun and being goofy should really be in the job description,” he shares. Mr. Woods says that not being afraid to have people laugh at you not only makes being a principal easier, but it tends to create a better, more relaxed environment around you. Because he isn’t afraid to be silly, it has made him a far more approachable figure.
While Mr. Woods enjoys the entire school year, he has his favorite parts. He cites the beginning of the year, seeing everyone excited to be back and reconnect, as a favorite. He also loves homecoming week – the first big spirit week of the year. The week before winter break is the CHS canned food drive, a time Mr. Woods feels proud of his student body. This year, almost 19,000 cans were collected to help the hungry during the holidays.
Graduation is by far the most bittersweet time for Mr. Woods. He’s sad to see the seniors he formed strong bonds with moving on. However, he looks forward to seeing the relationship he has with seniors grow from a mentorship to a friendship.
More than anything, Mr. Woods loves watching people be successful and this drives who he is at CHS. Every day, Mr. Woods is at Capital High School with a positive attitude, doing his very best to inspire and help others achieve their goals in any way he can. He, without doubt, is the heart and soul of the Capital Cougars.
