Mrs. Christine Wadley has been welcomed to the dog pound as one of the schools’ three new assistant principals, primaily overseeing the special education department and student support. Only four weeks into her new administrative position, Mrs. Wadley is already establishing strong connections with Bulldog staff and students.
Though this is her first time as an assistant principal, Mrs. Wadley has been dedicated to the education system for over thirteen years. After attending the University of Maryland for her bachelor’s in Psychology and George Washington University for both her Master’s in Education and post-grad certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration, Mrs. Wadley started off her teaching career as a special education teacher in Montgomery County. Eventually, she moved to the Loudoun County School System where she worked at Freedom High School for four years. She then tried her hand at elementary school teaching at Dominion Trail for two years, but soon after moved to Riverbend middle school where she spent the past seven years as a dean.
“I was at middle school, but my previous experience in Montgomery County and at Freedom was high school, so I knew I loved the population,” Mrs. Wadley said. “I definitely did not want to work at the elementary level, and I had a passion to lead and be in the administrative field.”
At Stone Bridge, Mrs. Wadley supervises the special education department, collaborating with families, teachers, and teaching assistants to ensure that all students, regardless of their learning needs, have access to the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. Mrs. Wadley achieves this while also making herself visible and supportive to students and staff through her amiable energy and open-door policy.
“My favorite part is knowing that I’m helping teachers make a difference in the lives of kids,” Mrs. Wadley said. “And also meeting the students and getting to know everyone.”
Additionally, Mrs. Wadley is responsible for overseeing the purchasing, delivery, and distribution of textbooks across all departments, and being a disciplinary figure for students. To the outside eye, student discipline could seem quite intimidating; however that is opposite of the demeanor she intends to display.
“When I do have to meet with a kid because of a referral, it’s not immediately discipline,” Mrs. Wadley said. “It’s like, ‘Hey, tell me what happened, what’s going on?’ You know, I want to learn about the kids before even considering consequences.”
For Mrs. Wadley, students are the primary motivation. Her main intentions lie in building up and shaping future generations into the respectful, responsible, and ready-to-learn leaders they need to be. So far, Mrs. Wadley has settled into the school community seamlessly and is already paying the toll one smile at a time.
“I’m loving every bit of it,” Mrs. Wadley said. “You guys have an awesome vibe and culture. Very accepting, very open, very diverse. I’m in love right now.”
