Returning to Essex High School, Colleen Birner, the former Principal of Summit Street School, is stepping back into the role of teaching Spanish. 

Birner had previously worked at the high school for 17 years. During her tenure, she worked as a Spanish Teacher for 15 years and then as a Vice Principal for 2 years. 

“I love teaching, and I definitely missed it when I was an administrator,” Birner said over email. “There is a lot of joy in the classroom.” 

Upon her return to EHS, she looks forward to working with teenagers again, having previously worked with the young Summit Street students. 

“Teens are amazing, but not everyone gets to see that,” Birner said. “They are filled with questions, ideas, and inspire me to keep learning, changing, and challenging myself to continue to understand the changing world.” 

“I am having so much fun! I loved my work at Summit, but it included a lot of stress that was hard to shake at the end of the day because often a lot still happened after hours. I also think it’s easy to feel disconnected from the classroom and students the longer you are an administrator, so I feel really lucky to have a chance to directly connect back to teaching and learning. After all, they are what this world of education is all about!”

Birner is excited to be back for another school year. 

“I wish everyone a healthy and positive year.”