Portsmouth High School Principal Doug Poage has announced he is retiring before the start of the school year, ending his 35-year run with the Portsmouth City School District.
Poage graduated from PHS in 1984 and quickly returned as a high school English teacher in 1989.
“I enjoyed being around students. I really thought I could make a difference and maybe steer some of them the right way. I was fortunate enough to come back to my hometown right out of school. It was always my top choice. I really wanted to come here,” he said.
Poage spent 14 years in the classroom introducing his students to classic and socially-relevant works of literature.
“When I came back to Portsmouth, I had an experience in college where they were talking about all these novels in class and I hadn’t read them. So I kind of made up my mind that none of the kids would go through that again,” he said. “It’s funny because now 35 years later a kid I had in class will still see me and say, ‘I remember reading ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. I really wanted them to get the social lessons that book teaches.”
In addition to serving the district as a teacher, Poage went on to also serve as baseball coach in 1994. He served as the head coach for 16 years, earning the school numerous sectional championships, district appearances/runner-up, and even a regional appearance in 1996.
“I took over the baseball program from the legendary John Tipton, who taught me a lot about the game. When I was named principal, I left in 2009 as the second-winningest coach behind Tipton, amassing more than 250 wins. Coaching, just like all other positions along the way, allowed me to build relationships I still have today,” he said.
He said he has been both influenced and inspired by too many terrific people to name at Portsmouth Schools, but he specifically remembers Tom Walker as a mentor and a friend.
“He is probably the reason I’m in this position I am today. I learned a lot from him as a principal and as a human being,” Poage said.
He said he was not considering retirement until a new opportunity was presented to him, to accept a job as the Jackson Middle School assistant principal. He decided to take his retirement now as he leaves Portsmouth City Schools after 35 years, to begin a new chapter in his own story.
“My heart will always be a Portsmouth Trojan, and I know they are left in good hands here with a great, caring staff. I wish everybody well and it’s been a fantastic run. I’ve been blessed to be around some great people,” Poage said.
For more information about Portsmouth City Schools, visit them online at www.portsmouthtrojans.net, or follow the school’s page on Facebook.