For Carl Perkins, taking on the principal's job at Centennial High School is like returning home.

Perkins, who took over as principal last month after Scott Pfeifer took an education job with the state, started his career in the Howard County school system 30 years ago at the Ellicott City school.

"I'm very proud to be associated with this school again," Perkins said.

Before Perkins' return to Centennial, he was the first principal of Folly Quarter Middle School, which opened in 2003.

For 13 years, Perkins taught physical education, earth science and health at Centennial, while also serving as the football and lacrosse coach.

Now, 17 years later, he's back at the school.

"A lot of things have changed, and a lot of things have stayed the same," he said with a laugh. "I guess you can go home again."

Some of the parents Perkins has been working with over the past month were students of his during his teaching days at the school.

"It's fun," he said. "It's good to see those changes."

Perkins, 57, said he doesn't envision a lot of initial changes at the school, adding that the programs and curriculum offered are "really great."

"My hope is to seek out ways to help it improve," Perkins said.

Some changes that will be evident at the school right away are small improvements to the building and grounds, such as fresh paint, Perkins said.

"We're looking for ways to better the building," he added.

PTA 'very excited'

Denny Donovan, an Ellicott City resident and president of Centennial's PTA, said she and other PTA members met with Perkins earlier this summer to get to know him.

"We're very excited to have him," she said. "He's going to be wonderful to work with," said Michael Siegert, a math teacher at Centennial who has been there since the school opened in 1977. , said he and Perkins coached football at the school together. Siegert praised Perkins as a "fantastic choice."

"He's an intelligent person who deals with issues with common sense," Siegert said. "I think he's the right person for the job."

A Baltimore native, Perkins and his wife have lived in Clarksville for the past seven years. They have one adult daughter, who graduated from Centennial High School and is now a teacher with the Howard County school system.

When Perkins isn't at the school, he's engaged in a rather uncommon hobby. An avid scuba diver, he has been volunteering at the National Aquarium in Baltimore since 1982. At the aquarium, he prepares food for the animals, dons his scuba gear and feeds the animals in their tanks.

Perkins also is a downhill ski enthusiast and is currently training for his fourth marathon.

When he's not pursuing his sporting interests, Perkins is an avid traveler. Last spring, he visited South Korea as part of a contingent of Howard County schools officials on an educational and cultural exchange.

Perkins said he hopes to set up a partnership program between a South Korean high school and Centennial. Under the program, students from both countries would travel to the partner school over the summer to learn about the language and culture.

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user comments (1)

user jrbarnes1 says...

Mr. Perkins taught me back in 1980, many of his teachings back then didn't make sense until I figured them out on my own... translation; the hard way. I wish Mr. Perkins all the best.

Posted 2:07 PM, 08.21.08

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