New leader likes hanging out in the hallways at LHHS
Joshua Delich isn’t the type to hole up in his office all day.
Lake Highlands High School’s newest principal greets students with high fives and handshakes each morning. When he’s not in meetings, he sits on the hallway floor with his laptop and catches up on emails.
“Whether it’s a well-to-do home or a home that struggles to put food on the table or pay the bills, kids thrive with an authentic relationship,” he says.
Being visible to students and staff is crucial to Delich, who is building trust in a high school with inconsistent leadership.
When former principal Frank Miller resigned in 2016 after a three-year stint, Lake Highlands was forced to find its fifth leader in a decade. Delich, who served as principal of Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute, was up for the task. He got his start teaching six subjects to middle-schoolers before graduating to the high school level.
Delich’s first priority is restoring stability to the high school. Thirty-three teachers resigned from Lake Highlands last year alone, and there’s a 20-percent turnover rate districtwide.
There won’t be many changes until the staff and students feel comfortable, and Delich is adamant about maintaining his values. He even uses an acronym to describe himself — GRIT — which stands for grace, responsibility, integrity and trustworthiness.
“If you don’t think I’m living to my GRIT, let me know,” he says.