EISD is proud to introduce our new Middle School Principal: Dr. Philip Thornton! Dr. Thornton has 15 years of experience in education, and has worked in Boyd ISD, Overton ISD, and Northwest ISD. He received his Doctorate in Education Leadership from Lamar University two years ago. He will be coming to Eastland with his wife and two sons.
“We believe that Dr. Thornton will do an excellent job,” Superintendent Jeremy Williams stated. “We expect great results from his leadership, and know that he will help Eastland Middle School grow and learn.”
Dr. Thornton began his career coaching. “I always wanted to coach, and sports were my first passion. Early on in my career, a teaching internship led me to work closely with a special needs student, and that opened my eyes to my passion for helping students learn.”
“I want to create a positive environment for students and teachers,” Dr. Thornton continued. “We want students to feel welcome and for them to want to be at school, learning. Middle school can be difficult, but I want to make sure that we get through all the difficult work together.”
Dr. Thornton considers himself a servant leader, and aspires to lead by example. “I won’t ask anyone to do something that I wouldn’t do myself. If there’s anything that needs to be done for the betterment of our students, I will do it.”
Dr. Thornton is excited for school to begin. “The first day is one of the best days. I get to meet the students, and it’s exciting to see the 6th graders walk through those doors for the first time and meet their teachers. You also get to see the 7th graders coming back and getting ready for a new year, usually more sure of themselves than they were a year ago. The 8th graders are the “big fish” on campus, and are usually ready to kick off their last year in middle school and prove they’re ready for High School. It’s a great day for everyone, and I’m excited to get started.”
To parents and guardians, Dr. Thornton noted his open door policy. “My door is always open. If you have questions or concerns, stop by. As we get closer to the start of the school year, I’m looking forward to some events where parents can get to meet me and get to know me a bit better.”
Welcome to Eastland ISD, Dr. Thornton!