Whether you talk to her at events, see her in the halls or simply say good morning every once and awhile, Ms. Cleveland has become a familiar face at Green Hope. The 2025-26 school year marks Ms. Cleveland’s fourth year at Green Hope. With so much planning moving forward she took a walk with her down memory lane and looked at her last 4 years. She shared what she has been most proud of, struggles she has faced and some of her journey to becoming principal. As she puts it, “I’m kind of an open book. Ask a question and I’ll answer it.”

First and foremost one must have a look back to where it all started, working in sports marketing. Right after college Ms. Cleveland started working in sports marketing, with plans to become an executive for a professional team,but as she continued working, she realized she hated it. It wasn’t her, “I just felt really unfulfilled,” she said. She had a conversation with a friend at the time and was asked when the last time she felt fulfilled in a job. Ms. Cleveland’s reply? Coaching middle school field hockey. She realized the closest thing to coaching was teaching, to which she replied to the friend, “I probably have always wanted to be a teacher. I just thought that’s not what I’m supposed to do”. 

She then got her masters degree in curriculum instruction at Arizona State and started teaching not long after. “[I] started teaching and loved it. [I] taught, coached, every club I could sponsor, all the things.” She said, “One of the things that I was asked to do was to become an instructional coach. And I really kind of fell in love with that.” She then went on to become an assistant principal as she felt she would have a broader impact on not just students but also teachers. She actually did her internship here at Green Hope in 2013, later moving with the then principal to Athens Drive Middle School when he left Green Hope. Eventually, she decided she would be a better fit as principal, “It’s not that I want[ed] to make all the decisions and be the boss…I want[ed] to be able to guide decisions and provide perspective,” she shared. She then got a job as principal of Wakefield Middle School for five years and eventually landed back at Green Hope. 

Many students wonder what it is that principals really do. The most interaction some students get with Cleavland is just passing her in the hallways. “If a high school was a Fortune 500 company, I would be the CEO, the CFO, the CTO, the head of professional learning, the budget manager, the head of HR, the head of communications and employee relations…each day is different. I try to manage a schedule and chunk out times, but then there are things that happen that I gotta address right away. I try to stay out of my office because the learning’s not happening in the office”. Ms. Cleveland then continued to talk about how she wished students knew that the whole administrative team is here for students. She understands that decisions sometimes get made that students might not understand, but is always glad to answer any questions about them. While it might say principal or assistant principal on administrators badges, their goal is to help all students.

Outside of school, Ms. Cleveland tries to find a work life balance similarly to most. “Some nights I don’t work, but it’s very rare.Either I’m trying to get caught up on the things I need to do, or I’m at a game or a performance…I would like to have more nights where I can breathe and watch a TV show…but, the best things about high school is the student life…it’s a show up, learn, connect, be involved, grow in the classroom and grow out of the classroom”. On those nights she does find herself without anything to do or catch up on from the day, she likes to keep her mind and body active. You can find her doing yoga, doing a jigsaw puzzle (the more pieces the better), making pasta from scratch on Sundays or going for a run. 

When asked about what she is most excited for this year she had an answer ready, “I’m excited our football team is 4-0 for the first time in 21 years. And I’m just glad I’m here to see it…that doesn’t mean athletics is the only avenue, and I hope that no one would think that’s the only thing I care about because it’s not. I go to all the chorus concerts, musicals and art shows. I couldn’t appreciate this anymore because I don’t know how to do this”. 

Ms. Cleveland’s son, Trevor Cleveland (‘27), is a student at Green Hope. She hopes that she can connect with both students and parents from a position of both a principal and a mom, a fellow parent. “[I think I bring] empathy, understanding and listening. I go fast [a lot] and I recognize that I need to slow down sometimes…I’m learning that just from being with my children. I need to give them space to talk to me. And I translate that into my work with my staff, students and parents here”. Ms. Cleveland does so much behind the scenes, many of which goes unnoticed. She cares deeply about Green Hope and can’t wait to see what the next four years bring. “I get a lot of joy because I get to interact with so many students…My goal is to make sure every student knows I respect them as a human.”