Though Troy Henninger enjoyed his job as teacher and curriculum manager at Lewiston Regional Technical Center, he couldn’t resist applying for the assistant principal position at Cape High School.

Henninger will start at Cape in July, following a vacation in Pittsburgh, where he said he’s enjoying baseball and sunshine.

It was Cape’s reputation as an outstanding school district with high academic achievement that lured Henninger to Cape “It’s one of those school districts you hear about all over the state,” he said

Henninger said the “grueling” testing he endured to become a nationally board certified teacher further demonstrated his skill as an educator. Only 19 percent of those tested pass. Henninger was also named the 1996 Social Studies Teacher of the Year in Florida. Henninger has worked as a curriculum specialist in both Florida and Maine and is excited about applying his expertise to evaluate teaching methods and practices in Cape.

Though he anticipates his first year will be spent mostly familiarizing himself with the school and students, Henninger also plans on working with teachers inside the classroom to evaluate and improve their curriculum.

Henninger is looking forward to possibly joining the coaching ranks again. Though he enjoyed coaching wrestling and baseball while in Florida, when he first became an assistant principal in Florida, he sacrificed coaching because rules and responsibilities precluded him from doing both.

Though Henninger isn’t required to be in his office throughout the summer, he plans on using his summer to do some “housekeeping” like acquainting himself with Cape policies, procedures and safety practices. It’s in the fall, he said that “the excitement begins.”

In a small school district like Cape’s, Henninger anticipates “knowing everybody’s name.” Coming from Osceola County’s 60,000-student district, where Henninger worked from 1993-2004, that wasn’t possible before.

Though Henninger has ideas to improve Cape as a school district, he realizes all schools have traditions and practices that will always remain. He calls these “pride pieces” and said he will enjoy learning Cape’s.

Henninger said he can’t wait to get started in Cape. He loves his job and loves helping students learn. “I wake up every day doing what I like to do,” he said. “That is the greatest joy, you can’t match that with anything.”

Troy Henninger, Cape High School’s new assistant principal will begin in early July.