After four years as principal, Dr. Stephanie Bonneau’s last day on campus is Feb. 27. She accepted a position to lead the Human Resources Department at Ennis ISD.

“This is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had, and the most stressful job I’ve ever had,” Dr. Bonneau said. “I am passionate about the job, and I’m very passionate about the campus. But there comes a point in your career when it’s time for you to change directions.”

Dr. Bonneau’s new position will allow her to have more time to focus on her personal life because it will not entail all the after-school, extra duties of a principal. While she’s still here, Dr. Bonneau will help the interim principal adjust to the ins and outs of the school. The interim principal will then work until the district hires and approves a new, permanent principal. The opening for the permanent position will likely not occur until after spring break. 

“What we’ve talked about is having the interim come in for a couple of days while I’m still here, so that I can talk to them about, like this is where things stand, and these are things that we’re working on, introduce them to the rest of the administrators, see what questions they have,” Dr. Bonneau said. “It’s a luxury that you don’t normally get when you’re turning something over because you’re all the way out the door before the new person starts.”

Dr. Bonneau started in the position of principal in 2022, the same year the current seniors started high school.

“It means a lot,” Dr. Bonneau said. “The first year I was here, I gave the speech at graduation, I shook the hands, I took the pictures, but we had about 2,500 students on campus and I knew some of the seniors. I recognized more than I knew, but I didn’t have a chance to get to know all of them.”

By spending all four high school years with them, Dr. Bonneau created unique, intentional relationships with the seniors and the Class of 2026. 

“This years seniors, I go into a senior English class, or I go into a senior assembly, and I’m like I know you and I know you and I know you and I know parts of your family and I’ve seen you in the play and you in choir and you on the court,” Dr. Bonneau said. “It’s been a blessing to get to go through the journey with a group of teenagers and watch them turn from scared freshmen to confident young men and young ladies getting ready to graduate.”

One of Dr. Bonneau’s favorite memories as principal is seeing students through their high school careers. The first time she remembers the feeling of pride was at graduation for the class of 2024.

“I remember standing on the platform, and I just remember looking at them and being so proud,” Dr. Bonneau said. “Proud of their accomplishments, proud that they were here, proud in everything they had done. I turned around, and I took a selfie with the kids around me. I just remember that encapsulated snapshot in time.”

Theater Director Jeremy Ferman worked with Dr. Bonneau when they opened the school together in 2007. She continues to support him and the theater department by showing up for them.

“I think Dr. Bonneau has been amazingly supportive,” Mr. Ferman said. “Not just supportive of theater and the Fine Arts Department, but of any and all clubs and organizations. I don’t think Dr. Bonneau has missed a single production theater has put on in the past four years. She even drove out to Abilene last year when we took the One Act Play to Area.”

Because Dr. Bonneau worked as an English teacher at Legacy before her time as principal, she understands the culture of the school and the impact of teachers.

“I remember when we opened the building, the summer before we opened, literally putting the stickers in books and literally moving desks and chairs into rooms,” Dr. Bonenau said. “Two days before school started, something happened with the plumbing, and the first-floor foyer flooded. All of the teachers were down there with dust pans, scooping water into waterproof trash cans to get the water out of the building. It sounds so awful, but it was so fun.”

As she gives her goodbyes to everyone on campus, Dr. Bonneau hopes the person who takes her position will be attentive to the needs of the campus.

“They’re getting a campus full of great adults and great kids,” Dr. Bonneau said. “My advice would be to listen a lot and work to make sure our kids are well taken care of and our teachers are supported. If anybody can get those two things lined up, the campus will continue to be better and better.”