A New Look at Highlands School Culture

Highlands High School’s assistant principal, Kaitlyn Selfridge, stepped down in April after a year of growing frustration. She wrote that the district’s leadership had turned her job into a hostile environment, citing repeated principal changes and what she described as demeaning remarks about appearance. Selfridge’s background is a teacher of middle‑school math who moved into administration in 2023. She says colleagues are dismissed quickly and treated like they can be replaced, leading to feelings of being undervalued and bullied. When she raised concerns about a former student’s voicemail, the superintendent allegedly told her to delete it. Selfridge also pointed out irregular hiring practices: a former assistant principal was promoted to high‑school principal without a posted job or interview, while others had to go through multiple rounds.She argues this inconsistency shows a lack of fairness, especially when she was told her role as a young mother would not fit the “24/7” demands of the principal position. The superintendent denies ignoring student complaints and claims hiring follows legal standards, saying an investigation will prove this. The district has no human‑resources office to handle complaints, so Selfridge fears retaliation if she speaks up. She also says administrators are told not to contact board members directly, leaving the board blind to building‑level issues. In her resignation letter she asked the school board to investigate, offering an exit interview to explain her points. She still praises Highlands for its opportunities but worries that the current culture harms teachers, administrators and ultimately students. Board members Autumn Monaghan and Kristie Babinsack acknowledged the letter but could not discuss it, citing personnel matters.