On Monday, March 17, AHS Principal Shawn DeRose emailed all students and staff, announcing that Dr. Sarah Eqab has been selected as the new interim principal of Poe Middle School (PMS). DeRose stated in a memo sent to staff,

“We are thrilled for [Dr. Eqab] as she takes on this new role and continues her commitment to supporting the students and families of the Annandale Pyramid.”

Eqab, an assistant principal that has been in the halls of AHS since 2020, has been working daily to help make AHS the best place it can be by building relationships with students, other staff members, and the community.

Since Eqab has been at AHS, she has really found her place and where she belongs. When asked about what part of AHS she is most proud of, Eqab said:

“Working to support our ESOL programming to be more inclusive and collaborating with our teachers to ensure high-quality instruction is happening in all our classrooms.”

While Eqab transitions to a new role in a new school, she has taken some time to reflect on her experiences at AHS and how the skills she learned will carry into her new role at PMS.

“I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in many different aspects of running a school from working with teachers, families, students, and support staff in addition to leading our admin team and learning from all those around me,” said Eqab.

She even credits Principal DeRose for her experiences.

“Mr. DeRose has been a great leader and role model, and I’ve been lucky to learn so much from him to hopefully prepare me for my new role at Poe,” she said.

Once at PMS, Eqab has some initial goals for her new school and states how she hopes to, “Help them get through the school year smoothly because I know that change is difficult.” This change is going to be difficult for AHS and PMS, but Eqab is determined to make it as smooth as possible. Along with adapting to change, she hopes to, “Build relationships with the staff, students, and family and support them getting us safely and smoothly to the finish line.”

While Eqab knows an opportunity like this comes with a lot of responsibility, she is beyond excited for the chance to make PMS a better school.

“I am so excited to learn from this experience and to stay still connected to my beloved Annandale community, and I am excited to learn more about middle school!” said Eqab.

Even though Eqab may not be roaming the halls of AHS, she still thanks AHS for all she has learned and reminds everyone she is not too far away.