Panther Creek has a new principal this year. Dr. Gregory Decker, who previously held the position of principal at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, has taken up the mantle of leading the Catamounts. He is the third principal Panther Creek has ever had, succeeding Dr. Camille Hedrick. This is the eighth school he has worked at.

Dr. Decker says he’s excited to work at Panther Creek because “my job description was much different here than it was at my other schools”. He notes that students here are “where they’re supposed to be; they do what they need to be doing,” which he says makes his job much easier. “It’s nice to be able to get out during passing periods and see the smiling faces and everyone doing what they need to be doing,” he concludes.

Since coming to Panther Creek, Dr. Decker has not made many changes to the way the school is run. He states that he’s always reluctant to alter school traditions, going off of the mentality that you don’t need to fix something that isn’t broken, especially if people are invested in it. “I’ve learned that I need to respect what’s been built,” he says.

One change that Dr. Decker has made is to the dress code; near the beginning of the year, he made the decision to allow students to wear hats on campus. Many students support this choice. “I’m all for it,” says sophomore Justice Acabo.

With three quarters left in the school year, Dr. Decker has already embraced the Catamount spirit, declaring “I’m enjoying this experience and I’m highly delighted to be a part of you guys!”