This school got two new assistant principals and a new staff development teacher this year. All three of these new members of this community said they are eager to make a difference.
Heidi Vermillion, Assistant principal
Heidi Vermillion is the new assistant principal for 11th graders. She is the master scheduler, oversees counseling and supervises the CTE department. She holds an extensive academic background, having gone to three institutions: California University of Pennsylvania (now a campus of Pennsylvania Western University), Maryland Eastern Shore and Pennsylvania State University.
Vermillion previously worked at Sherwood, where she had a similar role as she does here. Her parents were both teachers, yet when she was young, she had no interest in going into that field. “I said I was never going to be a teacher and went to Penn State for hotel and restaurant management. But when I saw my managers, I thought I didn’t want to do this anymore, so I became a teacher. Then my principal from Northwest HS, who hired me, encouraged me to go into administration,” Vermillion said.
She said she has enjoyed this role; specifically, she appreciates her time spent with students. “My favorite part about this role is the students and helping them. My favorite part about being in a high school is that you guys are preparing for real life,” Vermillion said.
Through her busy role, she wants to ensure students and staff know that her door is always open. “I may oversee certain departments and grade levels, but I always have the philosophy that my door is always open for students and staff. I’m passionate about doing what’s best for kids, and that’s why I’m here,” Vermillion said.
Gisela Morales-Colón, Staff Development Teacher
Gisela Morales-Colón is the new staff development teacher and teaches two honors U.S. history classes. She has several degrees, holding a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, a master’s in elementary education and special education, an advanced post-graduate certificate in reading and is currently pursuing an educational leadership certificate.
She has previous experience as a content specialist, an instructional coach, a reading specialist and as a teacher. Morales-Colón’s new position has been a professional goal of hers. It allows her to work with staff from a non-evaluative perspective, which she believes plays a huge role in building relationships. She also has the opportunity to continue teaching.
To her, this school seemed like a perfect destination. “Having the opportunity to come and work with a new administration team and guiding the staff through this new mission was very important, and who does not want to come to the number three school in Maryland?” Morales-Colón said.
Her role allows her to harness her teaching experience while seeing decision-making from multiple perspectives. “My favorite part about this role is I see all the parts of the decision-making process, one from the lens of administration and the other from the lens of how it impacts teachers,” Colón said.
Misirach Seyoum, Assistant Principal
Misirach Seyoum is the school’s new ninth-grade administrator. Previously, she was the assistant principal at Magruder. Her extensive academic background includes “a bachelor’s in business administration at the University of Texas at Dallas, a master’s in education at the University of Maryland at College Park and my administration certification from Hood College,” Seyoum said.
For her, the reason she chose to pursue this field was simple. “I feel like I thrive on problem-solving, and that’s what this job is: it’s a lot of problem-solving. The instructional piece, ensuring students receive high-quality education, both merge together. It’s a lot of project management,” Seyoum said.
She said she has enjoyed this career path, specifically, her time here so far. “I think my favorite part is I see students that are really nice and active in the school, and you can tell people enjoy being at this school. It motivates me to make it a better place. I see the dedication of teachers and staff to our students, and it’s really inspiring to continue to improve,” Seyoum said.
