Headmaster Thomas Taylor is Continuing a Legacy at Archway North Phoenix

Archway North Phoenix October 3, 2024 -

Thomas Taylor is the new headmaster at Archway North Phoenix. Taylor, who has served in several capacities throughout his career in education, has consistently strived to meet students and colleagues where they are, helping them grow and take on challenges they may not have previously considered. “It’s about taking risks,” he explains. “I tell my students, ‘I know this is hard, but we’re going to do it together.’ And when we succeed, we can take pride in the fact that we accomplished something difficult.”

Born in Oceanside, California, Taylor moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, at the age of five. Growing up sports played a significant role in his life, particularly baseball, which he pursued through college. After attending Central Arizona College, Taylor transferred to Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where he continued his baseball career and earned a degree in physical education in 2009.

After graduation, Taylor began coaching children as young as 18 months up to 8 years old at Beginner’s Edge Sports Training, where he taught soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and golf. Summers were spent coaching collegiate-level players in the Arizona Wood Bat League. With his love of sports and physical education, Taylor joined a Great Hearts academy in 2013 as a P.E. teacher.

It was not long before Taylor’s natural leadership and class management skills were noticed by administration and what began as a teaching opportunity soon led to other roles. Taylor admitted that he never envisioned a career in school administration. “But I jumped on the opportunity and thought, ‘I’ll try this out and see how I like it.’ And I ended up loving it,” he said. He was appointed Dean of Students after a headmaster recognized his ability to connect with students, especially in a Title 1 school setting where many behavioral challenges were present.

“I could think of five more people more qualified than me,” he recalled when asked about his unexpected move into leadership. But the headmaster saw something special in how he ran his gym class and his ability to relate to students. The offer to become Dean of Students pushed Taylor out of his comfort zone and opened new doors in his career.

Taylor’s ability to adapt and excel in new roles continued to shape his career. He began teaching third and fourth grade math and science in addition to his duties as Dean of Students. In 2018, he was offered a position at Archway North Phoenix as the fourth-grade lead teacher, a role he was excited to take in hopes to further refine his teaching skills.

By 2019, after only a year of teaching at Archway North Phoenix, Thomas was approached by the headmaster and encouraged to apply for the role of assistant headmaster. “After many conversations, I threw my hat in the ring and became assistant headmaster,” he recalled. Over the next five years, Thomas continued to grow his leadership skills in this role, benefiting from the mentorship of then-headmaster, Geri Kirby.

Kirby’s departure marked another turning point in his career. When she decided to retire, Thomas felt ready to step into the headmaster role. “I feel suited and ready,” he said, noting that while the transition from assistant headmaster to headmaster has been smoother than expected, it’s largely due to the exceptional mentoring he received from Kirby.

As headmaster, he is committed to continuing the legacy Kirby left behind. Her personal motto, “Love Fearlessly,” resonates with Taylor. He aims to uphold the strong sense of community and family at his school, where both students and staff support one another. He said he said he hopes to build upon this culture for years to come, ensuring that the school remains a place where students and families thrive.

Outside of school, Taylor is a self-proclaimed sports enthusiast, with a special love for baseball. “My family knows I’m a sports guy,” he laughed. “They know we will be catching a baseball or football game together pretty often.” When not attending sporting events, the Taylors enjoy spending time outdoors, hiking trails up north, or hosting family game nights and barbecues.

Taylor also holds a surprising title outside of work as “pageant dad.” Both of his daughters, Paige (9) and Natalie (6), participate in scholarship pageants, and Thomas can often be found carrying gowns and tiaras at these events. Despite his baseball-coaching past, he proudly supports his daughters in this unique pursuit. “It’s a far cry from what my life used to be,” he joked.

As Taylor has begun his first year as headmaster at Archway North Phoenix, his unexpected career shift from P.E. teacher to school leader shows just how adaptable and committed he is to his students. With a strong foundation from previous leadership and mentors, and a vision to further enhance the school’s community, Taylor is excited for what the future holds for Archway North Phoenix and the legacy he will help build.

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