On July 10, several weeks before school started, Glenn staff were notified that the previous principal, Dr. Shawn Miller, had accepted a project manager role at the district level and would be leaving his role at Glenn. Just a few weeks later, Round Rock ISD announced Dr. Miller as the new principal at Cedar Ridge High School. The week before school started, LISD announced a new principal, Josh Haug, to take his place. Haug was the former principal at Leander Middle School and has served in various positions across the district, including Rouse High School and Wiley Middle School. This marks the third principal Glenn has had in its nine-year history.
Every morning, students and staff hear his voice over the announcements, but The Growl wanted to take a deeper dive into getting to know our new principal.
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
A: “I love sports. I used to like to play sports, but now I’m older, so I like to watch them. I like to sit by the pool and be with my family. I also like to do outdoor things. I like to hunt and fish and be outside in nature.”
Q: What kind of sports do you like?
A: “When I grew up, my favorite was basketball, but probably my favorite to watch is football. I like to do fantasy football and go to high school, college, and NFL games. So football’s probably my favorite to watch.”
Q: How are your teams doing this year?
A: “Good! My Glenn Grizzlies are 2-0. I like the Texans, and they won, and I’m a big Longhorn fan, and they’re also 2-0. So right now, it’s looking good. My fantasy team is not very good, but that’s okay.”
Q: If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
A: “Okay, I’ve been asked this before, and I would say sandwiches because there are so many different types. You could have a po’ boy or a sub. It could be hot or cold. Lots of different things to put on a sandwich, and usually, they’re pretty easy to make. So, that’s kind of my go-to if I need a snack at home is just whip up a sandwich.”
Q: Did you do any extracurriculars in high school?
A: “I did. I played basketball and baseball. I was in NHS and Student Council and PALS—I was a PAL. I don’t know if we have it, but I was in what they called Key Club, which was basically like a community service type organization. So, yeah, I loved high school and liked being involved because all my friends were there, and we just did stuff together. We were trying to have things on our college applications to make sure we got into the colleges we wanted.”
Q: What was your favorite memory from high school?
A: “It was probably the football games. I would travel to all the games. I didn’t play football in high school, but I would travel on the bus with the cheerleaders or different groups just so I could get there. Even if it was a small group of us, we always had a blast cheering on football and being part of Friday Night Lights and getting to see the band and the dance team and all that. Those were probably some of my favorite memories. Also, we really liked dressing up for theme days. We used to go all out. No matter what the theme was, we made sure we were decked out head to toe.”
Q: Is there a specific theme day that you want to have this year that you could bring back from your high school?
A: “We did an ‘80s day. That was a lot of fun. I dressed up like an ‘80s athlete or a jazzercise instructor. You know, headbands and short shorts and the polyester shirt, high-top shoes, and all that. I’m probably in the yearbook somewhere because I looked kind of ridiculous.”
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given or received?
A: “I use this one often, and it’s something we’ve all learned ever since kindergarten: treat people the way you want to be treated. People often think, ‘I treat people the way they treat me.’ But what it says is that you treat people the way they want to be treated, and we all want to be treated with respect and love and kindness. So that’s the way I try to live, and I have to remind myself of that often. It’s something I often have to remind students of, too.”
Q: Outside of your family, who has influenced your life most and why?
A: “My dad was a school principal, so he influenced me in wanting to get into this profession and in the way he cared for people and loved being around students. A non-family member who influenced me would be Chris Simpson, the principal at Leander High School. We worked together at Wiley a long time ago, and he taught me to always choose to do what’s best for students, even if it requires a lot of hard work.”
Q: You used to work at a middle school as a principal. Between being a middle school and a high school principal, what do you think the difference is and how are you adapting?
A: “I’ve worked half my career in middle school and half in high school. What I missed the most about high school were all the events: the plays, performances, games, and all the cool things high school kids are a part of. Middle school kids are a lot of fun too. They’re not as worried about what people think about them or being too cool for school, but high schoolers are almost adults. Some of the conversations you can have are very much like talking to another adult, and that’s nice. So those are some of the differences and my preferences about both.”
Q: Have you felt like this high school is any different from any other high school you’ve worked at?
A: “They’re all a little different, but there are great students and staff here. The biggest difference is this amazing building. I’ve never been at a school this nice and that was designed to be so open and innovative. I’m hoping that the longer I’m here, the more we use the building the way it was designed. Teenagers are teenagers, and they do silly things and are fun. I’ve had a really good time so far. Everyone has been very kind and welcoming. Many students are willing to come up, shake my hand, and say hi, which has been great.”
Q: We know your dad was a principal, but were there any other factors that made you decide to pursue education as a career?
A: “My family influenced my decision, but it wasn’t just my dad. My stepmom was a teacher, and my grandparents were teachers. I was in college and didn’t know what I was going to do. I loved working with young people, sports, and history, so I decided to be a coach. I taught history and coached sports for 10 years. Along the way, I decided I wanted to have a bigger impact, so I started looking into administration. I think there’s a lot of potential at this school. I love the diversity in the hallways and have admiration for Tom Glenn, whom I knew and respected.”
Q: What changes or improvements can students and staff expect to see from you this year?
A: “First, I want to ensure that students feel safe and supported, both physically and emotionally. Once that’s happening, I want learning to be fun and engaging. I want students to experience learning, not just listen and take notes for 90 minutes. I want them to be hands-on, doing labs, working together, and using our space creatively. I love our CTE courses because they offer hands-on experiences that connect to core classes. I wish more students would take advantage of them, even if it’s not their career path. It’s hands-on, fun, experiential learning that I want everyone to have.”
Q: What do you believe your best quality is as a leader?
A: “I like to think of myself as a servant leader. No job is beneath me. There are things I have to delegate, but anything on this campus that needs to be done, I am willing to do. I hope I live that out and that it becomes something other leaders and students also adopt. We take responsibility and get things done. That’s how I hope I’m living it out.”