As summer comes to a close, Texas High welcomes not only a new class of students, but also an assortment of new staff.
On July 1, 2023, Ben Renner officially began his new role as principal of Texas High. With over 20 years of secondary education experience and working as a principal within Cleburne ISD for the past eight years, TISD welcomes him with open arms.
“I really love to read and write and I wanted to make a difference,” Renner said. “I wanted to be an English teacher because of a need to serve but also because of the love of the subject. But then once I actually became an English teacher it was the students. There’s no greater field. I’ve enjoyed this career. I love what I do, and I always take care of the people around me.”
While Renner enjoyed his years at Cleburne, he’s excited to now call Texarkana home. He’s fallen in love with not only the school, but also the city itself.
“Texarkana is just a beautiful place,” Renner said. “And so that’s what intrigued me first was that it’s in East Texas. It’s beautiful. It has so much outdoors right there at your fingertips. But then when I looked into the programs, what was going on, it aligned with my beliefs.”
With all of the programs that Texas High offers, from academics to hands-on courses, Renner understands that not every student will go on to have a white-collar career. That said, he is still thrilled to be a part of a district that provides so many other paths for its students.
“[Students] have these opportunities through CTE,” Renner said. “So the expansion of those programs with people really dedicated to preparing children to be successful once they leave excited me.”
If nothing else, Renner and the students of Texas High will have at least one thing in common: their love of the traditions.
“I’m a military brat. So even though I know I have roots in Dallas and I have family, I moved around growing up, and so the traditions of Texas High School, it just blew me away,” Renner said. “I’m really excited to be a part of these traditions. I can’t wait to go to the football games. I can’t wait to see our band play. I can’t wait to see what we do every day.”
While transitions between administrators can prove challenging, Renner hopes to make the change as easy as possible. To him, that means giving everyone a voice and understanding that everyone is different.
“I prefer to be a servant leader and a facilitator to help motivate, inspire and bring out the best around me,” Renner said. “But sometimes that’s not exactly what a building or a person needs, so I adapt my leadership style. I don’t adapt my beliefs. My beliefs are who I am. But I adapt my leadership style based upon who I’m working with.”
Renner is excited for this new school year, and he can’t wait to see what the teachers, students and administration can do together.
“I want to be out there in the halls, and I want to work together with teachers and students,” Renner said. “As a principal, I’m a little bit more removed from the classroom, but I love teaching and [students] are the reason I’m here. So if they have a need, my door is open.”
