As the school bell prepares to ring for the final time, ultimately marking the end of the 2021-2022 school year, Dora High School Principal Paige Abner is excited about the future. She is already setting the stage for another successful year in a post-pandemic world.

While the number of teens dealing with anxiety, depression, suicide, self-harm, and other serious mental health disorders is rising, Abner is taking a proactive approach to the daily challenges her students face after they wake up every morning. In a small mining town, the former speech teacher is creating a space where difficult conversations can occur, and healthy student-faculty connections can be made so that her students can thrive.

"At Dora High School, we are just very open. I have an open-door policy, and every single day I have students that want to talk to me, our assistant principal, or the counselor,” says Abner. “Before the pandemic, you'd expect kids to come in and go to class. Now, there may be something they're walking in the door with that they need to unload, so we want to make sure that we support them in every way possible."

One of the most effective support systems Abner acquired for her faculty and students was the school achieving Marzano High-Reliability Schools Level 1 Certification. Dora High School is the first high school in Walker County to receive this certification.

"Dr. Robert J. Marzano created a program that streamlines everything you're doing in a school from safety to supporting kids. It has allowed our administration, faculty, and staff to connect better within the building, which is super important during a pandemic," Abner says.

Abner's journey into the world of public education began with her grandfather, Luke Franks, and his desire to see his granddaughter access the life and career opportunities those with a college degree were afforded. The Jasper native graduated from Walker High School in 1984, and later fulfilled her grandfather's dream by becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college. After a fantastic two-year college experience at Walker College, she went on to earn her bachelor's degree in secondary language arts from The University of Alabama.

"I may have graduated from Jasper Walker High School, but I’ve always been a Bulldog,” says Abner. “Dora, Alabama, is such a jewel. It's a beautiful close-knit community.”

In 1989, Abner's first job as an educator was teaching English and speech at Dora High School. After 17 years in the classroom, she became assistant principal at Sumiton Elementary/Jr. High in 2006 and the principal of Sumiton Elementary five years later. In 2015, Abner returned to Dora High School, the place where her education journey began, this time as principal.

Principal Paige Abner epitomizes what it means to be a Dora Bulldog. In the classroom, she devoted her life to teaching the next generation, and as a principal, she has made way for her students to thrive in a changing world. 78