Spotlight - Stephanie Richmond Anderson

For Principal Stephanie Richmond Anderson, teaching runs in the family. “My great-grandmother, grandmother, dad, mom, and aunt were all teachers,” Stephanie says. For them, “education is valued and emphasized.” In addition to her family members, other outstanding teachers and school administrators inspired her throughout her life. Among them were her history teacher and cheer coach, Mrs. Cheri Young Rose, and her high school principal, Mr. Robert Martin. “They were instrumental in my life and encouraged me to never give up and dream big,” she states.

Despite these influences, Stephanie didn’t always plan to be an educator, and she entered Hendrix college as a political science major with her sights set on law school. Yet over time, she found herself drawn to teaching. Stephanie completed her student teaching at Elmwood Junior High in Rogers before taking a job at Gravette Middle School in 1993, teaching 6th and 7th grade. In 1994, she returned to Elmwood Junior High in Rogers and taught 8th and 9th grade American History and Pre-Ap American History. She also served as Cheer Coach, Student Council Sponsor, and the district’s Social Studies Curriculum Specialist for grades 6-12. In 2006, Stephanie completed her Master’s degree and became the Assistant Principal at Helen Tyson Middle School, serving 800 students. While in this role, she earned distinction as Assistant Principal of the Year for the State of Arkansas. She received her Specialist degree in 2013, and in 2015 became Helen Tyson Middle School’s Principal.

Stephanie describes herself as a lifelong learner who is continually working to inspire and encourage others. She seeks to involve herself in all the opportunities offered to students, hoping to make a difference in their lives by being someone who cares about them as individuals. In 2020, she was recognized for her commitment to her students, receiving the 2020 Charles Green Administrator that Makes a Difference Award. She hopes others will remember her as “giving it my ALL with passion, laughter, encouragement, and dedication - to my students, family, friends, and faith in God. I hope people remember that I cared about them.”

When asked her favorite thing about her job, Stephanie’s reply is enthusiastic: “THE KIDS! I love working with the ‘middle’ group. They are my WHY and why I look forward to going to work each day.” She revels in her students as entertaining, talented, and intelligent individuals who need adults to guide, encourage, and believe in them. Like many of us, she finds that the most challenging part of her job is time. “There is never enough time to meet with each child, parent, teacher, and members of the community to accomplish all I want to do each day.”

One of the most significant changes she has seen over the course of her career is how new technology has transformed the way we educate. She finds that we are more engaged in the needs of students in how they learn. “Differentiation is discussed and planned for each child,” she notes. “We embrace diversity and celebrate our differences.” Advice that has helped her includes accepting that mistakes help you get better, communication is everything, and that change is difficult and requires patience. To those considering a similar career, she advises they be passionate, present, open-minded, and to have a sense of humor.

During her time off, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, floating the King’s River, going to the lake, traveling, and reading. She also loves JEEPs and enjoys remodeling homes. Her proudest accomplishment is raising her two amazing children - Sydney and Mason.

How would your co-workers describe you?

“Energetic, Passionate, High Standards, Dedicated, Strong, Understanding, Caring, Hands-On Principal”

What might other administrators be surprised to know about you?

“I worked at Tyson foods on the Master Pack and De-Bone line as well as the Bridge Crew for the Arkansas Highway Department during College.”

If you weren’t in your current position, what would you be doing?

"Selling real estate, counselor, selling cars”

What is one of the things on your “Bucket List?

“To travel to Barcelona and see the completion of La Sagrada Família”

What do you see as the biggest benefit of AAEA membership?

“Networking with others who share similar challenges and opportunities. I have met so many dedicated educators from across the state of Arkansas who are passionate about helping our students and families. We continue to learn from each other to find out how to become better leaders inside and outside of the classroom.”