Teaching, counseling, advising. A new principal, a new era, a new legacy to fulfill. Michael Weaver has been Vista’s principal for 12 years but, as he is retiring, a new person has to take over. That person being Rob Ceglie. Rob Ceglie is known to many students as one of the school’s assistant principals and has been at Vista for 18 years. While our seniors may not experience this new chapter in the Vista story, juniors, sophomores, freshmen and future high schoolers will be here for the start of a new era. 

One student who was a part of the interviewing committee when Ceglie was applying for the position was sophomore Luke Duffy. 

“I’m happy that our current principal had a say in it. I think it’s good that we’re going to have people or someone who’s already been here for a while become the principal,” Duffy said. “I think it’s good to have that person who knows all of our traditions.”

Ceglie has held many positions through his years at the school, the first being a chemistry teacher. 

“The fact that I get to continue to work with our students and our staff and our families every day [is the most exciting thing about being offered a principal job here],” Ceglie said. “I’ve been here for 18 years and so I feel like I know the building and I know the culture very well and I get to continue to work to make things better.”

Another student who was on the touring committee during the search for a new principal was sophomore Grayson Witt. 

“For Ceglie, we walked him around, even though he’s already been at the school,” Witt said. “We got some of his ideas and he showed us what things he wanted to change, how he interacted with students and even little things like picking up trash we saw which is really cool.”

Some students are discussing what changes there might be with Ceglie becoming principal. 

“[Ceglie]’s been here since [Weaver]’s been the principal and he knows how he ran it,” Duffy said. “I definitely think it’s good that we’ve had someone who’s been here. I think he knows what the students like and he won’t change that, but if there’s something that needs to be changed he’ll do it. I think it’s good that he’s become our principal.”

Witt also looked at the legacy Ceglie is taking over with the impact Weaver has made on students in past years. 

“I really like the decision because he’s been a backup to Weaver for many years which he was telling and so he knows the real truth behind what Weaver does,” Witt said. “There were a lot of other good candidates, but he just had first-hand experience and can keep some of those legacies continuing.”

Ceglie also echoed this sentiment, but is excited to be taking up a new role in the Vista community. 

“It’s tough, I feel like I’m going on stage after the Beatles or something like that. He’s done a great job here over the past 10 years, drastically improving our culture [and] climate, improving our student involvement in many different areas,” Ceglie said. “It is a hard act to follow, however, after being in this building and watching and learning I feel I’m more suited than anybody to carry on that legacy and work on some areas where we can continue to grow. I’ve been able to watch Mr. Weaver and learn from him and be a part of a lot of great things we’ve done already. There’s no place I’d rather continue to be.”