The phrase “Once a ‘Rine, always a ‘Rine” rings especially true in light of a staff member’s return to Watkins Mill High School. Former English teacher Veena Roberson has returned as an assistant principal.

“I am so excited to be back,” Roberson said. “I grew up here as a teacher. The school, community, parents and students taught me a lot. I was ecstatic to return to a community that meant so much to me for such a long time.”

After Roberson left WMHS, she became an assistant administrator for one year and then an assistant principal for five years at Richard Montgomery High School before eventually returning to WMHS. According to Roberson, there is not much of a difference between being an assistant principal at WMHS and RMHS.

“There are really very few differences when you go from building to building in the same role because people are people and kids are kids,” Roberson said. 

However, one difference did take Roberson by surprise. It was the change in dynamic between her and the students now that her role has shifted from a teacher to an assistant principal.

Roberson says that it was really easy to connect with her students as an English teacher. “I had the same set of students every day,” Roberson said. “Sometimes it’s a little challenging as an assistant principal because of the way that you interact with students. It’s a little bit different, and you have to work harder to develop relationships with students.”

Despite this slight bump in the road, Roberson is determined to let students know she is there for them. She wants students to remember that they can come to her no matter what

“I work actively to let students know that my job is to support them,” Roberson said. “What’s important to me as an assistant principal is being open, honest, transparent, and communicative…that’s just something that I’m committed to.”

“My advice is to engage daily in the opportunities that are presented to you,” Roberson said to freshmen. “I think high school is such a great level to work at because everyone can find a place where they feel like they belong. I would encourage every freshman to find that place.”