Following the promotion of former principal Will Skelton, Dr. Cody Koontz is taking over this role. Dr. Koontz formerly served as the principal of Coppell High School’s ninth grade campus.
In March, the district announced Skelton would be rising to Chief of High Schools after serving as principal for six years. As part of this new role, Skelton will be a leader to the five LISD high schools and the TECC centers.
Dr. Koontz felt drawn to Marcus because of his history with the school. While he played football at Grapevine High School, he admired the Marcus team. Later as a coach, he competed with them once again, holding similar sentiments. He said he has always had a healthy respect for Marcus, even as a rival.
“I could not have picked a more perfect environment for me to continue to grow as a leader,” Dr. Koontz said. “We love this community, the schools are great.”
Mrs. Kathy Fouché, the school secretary, said that Dr. Koontz is similar to Mr. Skelton, which smoothened the transition to a new principal. According to Fouché, both leaders prioritize students, their learning, and staff collaboration to create the best learning environment.
“Dr. Koontz and Mr. Skelton stop and think about situations before they solve problems,” Mrs. Fouché said. “They don’t have knee-jerk reactions when something goes wrong.”
Driven by his desire to help children, Dr. Koontz initially planned to be a pediatrician. However, during his sophomore year at Texas Christian University, he started to question what path was right for him.
“It took me about a year to realize that education was the area I was supposed to be in,” Dr. Koontz said “I wanted to work in a field where I could make a difference in young lives.”
After earning his degree, Dr. Koontz started his career as a science teacher, football, and track coach at Grapevine High School. As his career progressed, he took on similar roles at Irving MacArthur High School and Chisholm Trail High School.
“Teaching science was a natural fit for me,” Dr. Koontz said. “But coaching allowed me to connect with students on a different level, and that’s where I found my passion for mentoring young people.”
As Dr. Koontz’s family began to grow, he transitioned into administration for a better balance. He started his new job as an assistant principal at Chisholm Trail High School.
As he matured in his position at Chisholm Trail, Dr. Koontz’s ideals changed to prioritizing the importance of building strong connections.
“We’re in the people business,” Dr. Koontz said. “The best school leaders are those who truly invest in personal relationships with students and staff.”
Dr. Koontz said he supports teachers and the creation of an environment where students can thrive. As principal, he focuses on three key priorities: learning, serving, and leading. His goal is to immerse himself in the Marcus community, to better know the students, staff, and families that make up the school’s unique culture.
“Being new is hard,” Dr. Koontz said, “But I’m committed to listening and learning to understand how best to serve this community.”
Another one of Dr Koontz’s main focuses is to prepare students for life after high school by fostering a culture of cooperation among staff and students.
The student advisory council consists of a group of students who have weekly meetings with the principal to discuss issues plaguing the school. Eshaan Sheth, a senior in this council, said that it allows faculty and students to connect and collaborate at a greater level. It includes a mix of all races and grade levels, thereby representing almost all of the school population.
“I had a couple of conversations with Dr. Koontz at the start of the year, and he really did express that he wants to continue this culture of student advisory,” Sheth said. “Dr. Koontz loves it here, and what Mr. Skelton has built is phenomenal.”
As the new school year begins, Dr. Koontz said he is set to lead Marcus High School to a new, better future and upkeep its tradition of excellence.
“This is a special place,” Dr. Koontz said, “I’m honored to be a part of it.”
