Michelle was born and raised in Andale, Kansas. Her parents were huge supporters of AHS and drove the bus for the district. Michelle said, “It was great they got to drive me and my 7 siblings to our events.” Michelle loved her years at AHS while she was in high school. She hated to be absent, because she was afraid she was going to miss something. She always enjoyed her math classes and said her teacher Mrs. Mounts made them even better! BUT, she did not like high school geometry and that’s why she decided not to teach at the high school level and instead taught middle school math. Her advice to current high school students based on her own experience is “Be involved!!”.

After high school she attended Newman University (Kansas Newman College at the time) and graduated with her Bachelor’s in Education in 1993. When asked, “What inspired you to pursue a career in education and ultimately become a principal?” she said she always knew she wanted to become a teacher and was encouraged by many of her administrators that she should pursue becoming a principal. Michelle was interested in being a principal, but hated the thought of leaving the classroom. She had a period of time between her oldest son leaving high school but before her middle son was going to be in high school she decided that it would work best for her family for her to go back to school, and so she did. Michelle would teach all day and then go to grad classes at night. She said it was a tough schedule, but she is glad she did it.

I asked her “Have there been any significant challenges you’ve faced along the way?” Michelle said, “You bet! We all have obstacles we have to overcome to achieve our goals but you just have to be resilient and try your best every day!”. A specific accomplishment Michelle is proud of since graduating is, being named Area 4 Principal of the Year in April of 2020. Michelle’s nights are pretty busy with after school extracurricular activities ,but during the school day each day is different. A large part of her day is unscheduled and she usually doesn’t know what each day will bring. She has certain things set on her calendar such as meetings and classroom visits, but everything else in her schedule could change at any moment. When asked, “What do you find most fulfilling about being a principal and what is your favorite part about your job?” she said that being around kids makes her feel energized and young. She loves to see the growth of students coming in as scared freshmen, to independent, thriving adults when they leave as graduates.

Michelle met her husband Torey at Newman while attending school. They’re celebrating their 31st anniversary this summer. They have three kids: Adam, Ethan, and Isabel. Michelle taught her oldest son Adam while he was in middle school and was the principal for Ethan and Isabel. She loves spending time with her family, going to sporting events, and time in the pool during the summer. She is a new grandma and loves spending time with her granddaughter Harper! Michelle and her husband Torey have taken up jogging recently, “actually he jogs and I trot!”, she said.

Mrs. Shackelford is a representation of leadership and hard work. She has a great passion for student success and always wants what is best for us. She pushes the students to their limits, because she knows how much we can achieve and wants us all to be successful. We’re very lucky to have her, her tireless efforts and infectious enthusiasm make her a beloved figure in the school community. She will leave a lasting positive impact on all who have had the privilege of working with her.