Getting to know the Olympic Heights administration team

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The Olympic Heights administration is made up of principal Ms. Kelly Burke (third from left) and assistant principals (from left) Mr. Hal Videtto, Ms. Sara Borah, Ms. Sara Riley, Ms. Fe’Licia Durden, and Mr. Frank D’Annunzio. Not pictured: Ms. Stacey Belton.

The seven administrators of Olympic Heights are the heart of the school, and they ensure student safety, create policies, and oversee school activities. Yet, unless they are frequent flyers to student services for disciplinary reasons, many of the students at OH only have a passing acquaintance with these administrators if that. So, while the names are recognizable, here’s a chance for the student body to get to know their administrators a little better. 

The primary figurehead of OH and “Queen of the Jungle”  is Principal Ms. Kelly Burke, who is in her fifth year as the OH principal. She was the assistant principal for curriculum at OH from 2005 through 2012 until she was named principal of Addison Mizner Elementary School. She came back to OH to take over the helm in 2018. 

As principal, Burke oversees everything on campus, from personnel to day-to-day operations. She also works to ensure the safety of both students and staff. 

In her spare time, Burke enjoys running and spending time with her family. She looks forward to seeing the class of 2023 graduate at the end of the year, receiving their diplomas, and turning their tassels. Her advice to students is to practice kindness. “You never know what others are dealing with. One act of kindness can go a long way,” she said.

Ms. Sara Borah has served as OH’s assistant principal for curriculum for 10 years. In that role, she builds the masterboard, works with the guidance department on scheduling, makes curriculum decisions, collaborates with department chairs, and more. The school event she most looks forward to is prom as she is excited to see everyone dressed up to celebrate the school year.

Borah enjoys traveling, shopping, and spending time with her family in her free time. She advises students, “Being resilient and learning from your mistakes will only make you stronger and help you achieve your dreams.”

Assistant principal Mr. Frank D’Annunzio is in his 15th year as an administrator at OH, and his 28th year in the education field. He heads OH Student Services and its disciplinary programs, such as detentions and In-School Suspensions (ISS). He is also responsible for  maintenance operations and is the administrator overseeing athletics.

D’Annunzio enjoys fishing, wildlife photography, and visiting national parks in his free time. As a former ESE teacher at OH, he looks forward to the Best Buddies event. His advice to students is, “You get out of something, in direct proportion, what you put in. Work hard, stay focused, make smart decisions, and your high school experience will be rewarding.”

Assistant principal Ms. Fe’Licia Durden is in her 16th year at OH. She oversees dress code, handles discipline, supervises teachers, designates nurses, and is the contact person for Healthy Schools. Durden also looks forward to the prom at the end of the year. Ironically, she said, “I like to see the students all dressed up.”

Durden enjoys singing, dancing, and traveling in her time outside of school. Her advice to students is “Always have a sense of pride about yourself.”

Assistant principal Mr. Hal Videtto is in his eighth year as an OH administrator. He handles student discipline, instructional materials, school technology, grade reports, and various other tasks in addition to overseeing the science department. 

In his free time, Videtto enjoys playing golf, building computers, investing in stock and cryptocurrency markets, and hanging out with his family. Like most other administrators, he looks forward the most to prom at the end of the year. “I get to see the kids have fun, look great, and send them off into the world,” Videtto commented.

Ms. Sarah Riley, previously a social studies teacher at OH, is in her third year as an assistant principal. She analyzes school data, works with teacher team planning groups, and creates the OH newsletter that comes out every Friday. She enjoys working out, eating, relaxing, and watching cute llama videos on TikTok in her spare time, and she is most excited for Grad Bash this year.

“Life enjoyment is about serving other people,” said Riley. “Stop thinking that other people owe you something, and live a life of servitude.”

Last but not least, Adult Education and Community assistant principal Ms. Stacey Belton, previously a physical education teacher at OH, has been in that position at OH for eight years. She supervises the adult education and community school programs that allow for adult community members to further their education through GED programs and the like. She looks forward to Homecoming because “you see the Pride of Olympic Heights.”

Belton enjoys playing the guitar and doing photography in her spare time. Her advice to students is, “Act responsibly and respectfully, and enjoy your time here.”