Breckenridge Texan

Breckenridge High School will have a new leader at the helm for the first time in many years this fall, after the school board voted in a special meeting at noon Tuesday, May 29, to hire William Paul to be the new principal.

New BHS Principal William Paul and his wife RaKel posed with their children, (l to r) Maverick, Maddox, McKenna and Magdalynn, at the BISD school board meeting Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Paul is currently the principal of Lexington Middle School in Lexington, Texas, a small town located in Lee County, about halfway between Austin and College Station. He has just completed his third year at LMS, following a year as the assistant principal at Brenham Junior High School. Before that, he served as a teacher and coach – football, baseball and wrestling – at several Dallas-area and central Texas schools.

“We’re excited to get another good family in here to Breckenridge,” said Tim Seymore, Breckenridge Independent School District Superintendent. “He’s got good experience, and he’s bringing with him his wife, who’s a great teacher, by every indication we’ve got from their superintendent and principal. We think we’ve hit a homerun here.”

The new principal and his wife, RaKel Paul, have four children, Magdalynn, who will be going into the eighth grade; Maverick, who will be going into fifth grade; Maddox, who will be attending second grade; and McKenna, who will be starting kindergarten.

RaKel will teach fourth grade at South Elementary.

Paul is a graduate of L.D. Bell High School in Hurst/Bedford. He earned a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from Texas A&M University and a master of education degree in administration from Lamar University. He is working on his doctor of education degree in administration from Texas Tech University.

“We’re very happy to be in Breckenridge,” Paul said. “I’m originally from Fort Worth, but I’ve got a lot of family from the area.  My grandfather is from Graham, and I had family just all over the area. So, when I saw the job was open, I knew about Breckenridge, growing up. I spent a little time in Abilene in college, so I’ve driven by and through it.  And just knew that when it came open, it would be a place that I want to be part of. I know it’s got a great history and tradition and I look forward to carrying that on.”

The current BHS principal, Bryan Dieterich, will be vacating that position to become the Chief Operations Officer for Breckenridge Independent School District. He will oversee everything related to school operations: facilities, maintenance, transportation, food service, etc.

Dieterich’s move is part of an overall BISD restructuring designed to improve the district for everyone involved and to improve the quality of the education the students receive in the community. For more information on the reorganization, click here to read the Breckenridge Texan article.

“After you do something a long time…there’s been a few tears,” Dieterich said about moving on from the principal position. “It’s time, I think. It’ll be good. It’s been very positive so far, and I think the transition will be good. I think they got a good guy for the job, and it sounds like it’s going to work great. I’m excited.”

Seymore said Paul plans on being in Breckenridge for a significant part of June and then probably start full time in July.

Story by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan

Cutline, top photo: Current Breckenridge High School Principal Bryan Dieterich, right, talks with incoming principal William Paul at Tuesday’s special BISD school board meeting. Dieterich will be taking on the position of Chief Operations Officer for the school district in the next academic year. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)