From a farm kid in Cranbury to a math teacher at Princeton High School to South’s assistant principal, Ms. Valerie Rodriguez steps into her role as South’s brand new principal.
Following Ms. Jessica Cincotta’s promotion to Assistant Superintendent in the Pupil Services and Planning Department at the end of the previous school year, Ms. Rodriguez became South’s new principal.
“I knew I had the capacity to step into this role, but I did it with some caution, asking, ‘Is this the right fit at the right time?’” said Ms. Rodriguez. But after realizing she had the support from students, teachers, and administrators, she realized this job was for her.
“It’s not about the amount of time that you’ve put in, but about people having confidence in me, and I had confidence in myself, and a team surrounding me to help me be successful,” she said.
To prepare, Ms. Rodriguez spent the final months of the prior school year as well as the summer to transition into becoming the principal. Most of this transition involved shadowing Ms. Cincotta and attending meetings that she didn’t previously go to as assistant principal.
“I would sit at a table at a meeting and realize, ‘okay, this is now my decision,’ and I’m supposed to step in now,” said Ms. Rodriguez. “I was very grateful that transition happened over the summer, and I focused mostly on listening, gathering information, and building a team around me so that everything we do is student-driven.”
For Ms. Rodriguez, her passion for helping students was the driving force behind her decision to become a teacher and administrator. At South, she is proud to see the passion among students for everything they do, both academic and extracurricular.
“When we go look at our student-led or the advisor-led clubs, we’re not just seeing students that are there to build resumes,” said Ms. Rodriguez. “We have competitive musicians that are incredible actors or actresses that are also the captains of the soccer team. We give it our all and we find ways to balance life so that we can be 100% engaged in all of those things.”
Ms. Rodriguez believes there is room to foster a healthier school environment as the principal. One problem she is particularly focused on tackling is rising peer pressure.
“We are in a society where we think we have to compare with one another. Our goals are set because of what our peers are doing, and that’s extremely unhealthy,” said Ms. Rodriguez. “It’s not true to ourselves, and maybe the goals that we’re setting aren’t realistic for who we are as people. So I want to reduce peer pressure.”
Goals like these aren’t intended to be accomplished within a short span of time.
“I’m young, and I’m proud of myself for that. It’s an acknowledgment that I don’t plan to go anywhere else,” said Ms. Rodriguez. “So that’s a goal of mine, to stay student centered, but not just through decision making, through my interactions, through my relationships.”
For students who already know her closely, Ms. Rodriguez is someone who has already dedicated herself to ensuring their well-being, and they expect her to continue that as principal.
“One time, I was coming late to school. I was overwhelmed as I was walking in, a bunch of things were piling on me,” said Class of 2026 president Andrew Yuan (‘26), who’s worked closely with Ms. Rodriguez over the last three years. “But Ms. Rodriguez took time out of her day to make sure I was doing okay, and keeping me grounded not just as a student, but balancing my life as a whole and mental health.”
South can expect this dedication from her as principal. Ms. Rodriguez’s message for every student: “Soak up every moment here at South, take advantage of all that we have to offer. Build lasting relationships with both kids and adults, and never stop asking questions.”
