Former principal departs GHS for Spotsylvania County after seven years
by: Brandy Sweigart
On October 10, 2022, Dr. Christopher Collier was appointed the Director of Human Resources for Spotsylvania County Public Schools. This new appointment led Dr. Collier to resign from his position of Goochland High School’s principal, which was effective October 27, 2022.
Before his resignation, Dr. Collier had served as GHS’s principal for six years (2016-2022), leading GHS to full accreditation, a 98% graduation rate, and many state and national awards and recognitions. During his tenure as principal, Dr. Collier was well-loved by the students and faculty, with the new interim principal, Mr. Wright, being the same way.
The Paw Print reached out to Dr. Collier for his reflection on his past position and how it influenced him.
When asked about what he enjoyed most about his time at GHS, Dr. Collier said, “That’s a tough question. There were so many wonderful times.” However, amidst the pep rallies and times when school spirit was high, some of Dr. Collier’s favorite events at the school, he ultimately said that he “really enjoyed the relationships with students and staff.”
Dr. Collier’s positive relationships with the students and staff at GHS also tied in with the next question asked of him during the interview. After being asked if there were any times that the students and staff of GHS pushed him to go out of his comfort zone or think out of the box, Collier, he stated that “it was almost a daily occurrence.” According to Collier, thinking out of the box due to the students and staff was important to him because he tried to “listen and accommodate as best he could.” As a principal, Collier believed that listening and adapting to the students and staff he serves is important, leading to his belief that, as a principal, human resources was his number one priority.
After an extended time at a location, the individuals at that location ultimately influence anyone who is there. When asked about how his time at GHS impacted him as an individual, Collier responded that it was the place where he felt like he “grew the most as a leader and a school employee.” The former principal of GHS also mentioned during the interview that a part of him will always find a home in Goochland High School as, according to him, GHS was, in a lot of ways, home. Collier’s tenure at GHS is important to him because it helped him grow and “provided an exemplar on how to do it right.” Collier’s time at GHS impacted him as an individual, it also impacted him in a positive way by preparing him for his career at Spotsylvania County Public Schools.
Oftentimes, experiences at prior jobs prepare individuals for the next steps in their careers. That statement ran true for Collier, who explicitly told the Paw Print that his time at GHS prepared him for his position as Spotsylvania County Public School’s Director of Human Resources. When asked about how specific details of his time at Goochland High School prepared him for his new job, Collier replied that his time at Goochland High School prepared him by having him “learn how to work with people through challenging situations” and “learn how to support people.” His time at Goochland High School also gave him a new perspective that he would otherwise not have, so that new perspective allowed him to bring ideas to Spotsylvania that worked in Goochland—but it also allowed Collier to sit back and listen to new ideas.
Throughout the interview, Collier looked back fondly at his time in GHS. He admitted that his career would not be the same without the influence of the students and staff at GHS. At the end of the interview, Collier asked how the students and staff at GHS were doing, showing that he still cares about the individuals that he used to work with and lead. The GHS Paw Print wishes Dr. Collier the best at his job as Spotsylvania County Public School’s Director of Human Resources—and the students and staff at GHS no doubt share those same well-wishes for their former principal.
The Paw Print 