When interacting with Hermann Pereira, it does not take long for you to realize that the man has charisma. He has a swagger about him that makes every conversation a pleasant one. He has a vast base of knowledge that justifies more confidence than his humility allows him to showcase.
All of those traits are connected by a similar through line: they’re the characteristics of a great principal.
Pereira will have them all on full display throughout the 2023 - 2024 school year, his first as the leader of Connally High School.
“Being the new principal at CHS is something that is pretty sentimental to me,” Pereira said. “It’s an opportunity to serve the students and families that helped grow me as an educator and leader for almost a decade.”
Pereira is no stranger to Connally High School. He previously worked on the campus as a Spanish teacher starting in 2011. He left the classroom in 2013 to become an assistant principal and later served as the principal of Connally Career Tech Early College High School.
“I have no doubt that Mr. Pereira will be a fantastic leader on the Connally High School campus,” superintendent Jill Bottelberghe said. “He has a proven track record of success and holds a high standard of excellence."
During his time as the principal of the ECHS, Pereira developed a passion for school-community partnerships. When the opportunity presented itself for him to further immerse himself in that world by accepting a position with Prosper Waco in 2020, he took it.
“Working in the non-profit sector gave me the chance to team up with multiple school districts, higher education partners, and industries to create opportunity pipelines for students,” Pereira said. “It really gave me a chance to view the world of education from a macro-perspective.”
When former CHS principal JD Eddings resigned in June of 2023, Pereira was presented with an opportunity to step back into the professional world that felt most like home to him. Fortunately, he was joining a team of familiar faces.
“I’m excited to have the chance to work with Mr. Pereira again. He is dedicated to collaborating with teachers and students to bring out the best in everyone,” CHS director of college and career readiness Elizabeth Brownlee said. Brownlee previously worked with Pereira as the counselor of the Early College High School.
Faculty members return to CHS on July 31 to begin preparing for the upcoming school year. Pereira hopes that they will come ready to accomplish great things.
“Connally is a great place full of rich history and traditions,” Pereira said. “My biggest goal is to embrace the successes of the past while building up to more in the future.”