JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It was a quiet Thursday morning at Raines High School. That’s because a surprise awaited just inside the gym walls.
With the students cheering and the band playing its music, that loud surprise was for Principal Vincent Hall.
Hall walked into the gym to a roaring crowd of students, staff and faculty.
“Days like this do not happen,” Hall said. “I usually celebrate other people so to be celebrated was very different.”
With his family in attendance, Hall was named Duval County Principal of the Year.
The surprise was made possible by a ruse to get Hall out of school.
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He said he was told by the executive director of high schools that he was going to another school to evaluate an English teacher. When they arrived he was told the teacher wasn’t there and they would try again another time. Then he was led in a side door and surprised by the school.
“I don’t even know if there’s a word for it,” Hall said. “I was just overjoyed really to have them all present. I’m just excited right now. I’m still excited about this opportunity.”
Principal Hall has been at the helm of Raines since 2013 and has spent nearly 30 years with the district.
Now, he has received top honors at the school he once attended as a student.
“Never in 1 million years did I think I would come back and be principal here.” he said “But to be given this honor, it‘s just magnificent and then for my school to also earn a ’B' last year when at one time it was on the state closures list. We’re just excited about all of this all the work we’re doing.”
So with a brand new honor to his name, he did what every principal would. He sent his students back to class.
“The day of school continues,” he told the students “Let’s get back to class because that was the bell. Let’s go.”
Principal Hall will now represent Duval County as its nominee for the statewide award.