Before Troy Fox became an educator, he carried a badge.
Fox, principal of Explorer Middle School, began his career in law enforcement, serving as a patrol officer and detective with the Grand Rapids Police Department in Michigan. It was there he discovered some of his most meaningful work involved young people.
He eventually traded police work for the classroom, beginning a 17-year career in education that has included roles as an English teacher, dean of students and administrator.
Fox is now entering his 11th year at Explorer Middle School. After spending 10 years as assistant principal, he has stepped into the school's top leadership role.
What is your educational and professional background? I began my career in law enforcement after earning an associate degree in criminal justice and graduating from the 70th Mid-Michigan Police Academy at Lansing Community College. I served as a patrol officer and detective with the Grand Rapids Police Department.
After leaving law enforcement, I earned a bachelor's degree in English from Aquinas College and a master's degree in educational administration from Purdue University. During my 17 years in education, I have served as an English teacher and dean of students. I then joined Explorer Middle School, where I spent 10 years as assistant principal before becoming principal.
What inspired you to become an educator and principal? Education was actually my second choice in college behind law enforcement, but while working as a police officer, I realized some of my most meaningful experiences came from working with juveniles.
During my undergraduate studies, a professor told me I was "made to teach." She didn't know what level or subject, but she believed it was my calling. When I left police work, I jumped into education and haven't looked back.
My move into administration came later, encouraged by mentors who believed I could make a broader, positive impact on students through leadership.
How do you plan to involve parents in school activities? We love having parents on campus at Explorer, whether it's for assemblies, student performances, dances or our annual Staff and Student Talent Show.
We start the year by inviting parents to volunteer during our Meet and Greet and keep families informed through weekly newsletters and social media. We also work closely with our PTO. This year, we're moving some PTO meetings to local restaurants to create a more casual atmosphere and make it easier for working parents to attend.
What is your favorite meal served in the school cafeteria? I pack my lunch every day now, so I have to go back to my own middle school days for this one. Back then, it was always all about the pizza.
What are you looking forward to most this year? For me, this never changes: It's the day-to-day interactions with our students.
I make a point to stay involved in supervision and spend time with students in the cafeteria and courtyard during lunch so I can learn who they are and what they're interested in outside of school.
Building those relationships and making sure every student feels safe, known and cared for is easily the best part of being an educator.
How can parents best help their students be successful in school? Set up a consistent daily routine, stay connected with the school and teachers and continue working on time management.
Beyond those skills, I believe one of the most important things parents can do is teach their children to advocate for themselves. As students get older, giving them more responsibility — yes, even in middle school — helps them realize they're capable of doing difficult things.
When we give students the skills to overcome challenges, we help build the grit, determination and confidence they need to thrive.
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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