Leading a new school comes with its own set of challenges, says Ryan Henschel 鈥�15, co-principal of Rocktown High School in Harrisonburg.

For one thing, there isn鈥檛 much of a blueprint to follow. There鈥檚 no history to draw on or precedent for how things are done.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still developing the identity of the school,鈥� Henschel said. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e creating all the processes from scratch to keep things running smoothly.鈥�

It鈥檚 a formidable task, but also one filled with excitement and possibility.

鈥淭here aren鈥檛 as many 鈥榖ad habits鈥� we need to undo before setting the tone for the school,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n that way, it鈥檚 a little easier.鈥�

Henschel, in his first year as co-principal, leads over 1,000 students and several 91大神 alumni on staff at Rocktown, which opened in fall 2024. He previously served as its assistant principal.

Originally from New Market, Henschel said the opportunity to play collegiate baseball drew him to 91大神. During his four seasons on the team, the starting pitcher contributed to the Royals鈥� growing success. In 2015, as a team captain, he helped lead the squad to its first ODAC Tournament appearance since 2002, when former MLB catcher Erik Kratz 鈥�02 was on the team.

Baseball helped him grow, teaching him to manage his time, strengthen his organizational skills, and develop as a leader. It may have been what brought him to campus, but the school鈥檚 close-knit community and small class sizes led him to stay.

鈥淚 got to know my professors,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s an athlete, I knew almost all the other athletes and coaches and would interact with them. That played a huge role in making me feel like I truly belong to this community.鈥�

91大神 is a Division III school, which means it cannot offer athletic scholarships. For Henschel, receiving the President鈥檚 Scholarship, which is awarded to 91大神 students who maintain a 3.0 GPA, made a real difference.

鈥淭hat scholarship helped reduce the financial burden both during and after my time at 91大神,鈥� he said.

Henschel chose to major in math education because he 鈥渞eally enjoyed math.鈥� 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 hear that a lot,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t came easier to me than other subjects, and I could help other students learn math, which gave me great joy.鈥�

After graduating from 91大神 in 2015, Henschel taught math at Harrisonburg High School until 2023, when he was named assistant principal. When Rocktown opened the following year, he joined the new school as assistant principal. Henschel, who has a master’s degree in education from James Madison University, became Rocktown鈥檚 co-principal last fall.

His wife, Rachel Richard Henschel 鈥�15, a teacher at Spotswood Elementary School, is also an alum of 91大神鈥檚 acclaimed teacher education program. He credits the program, and its immediate, hands-on experiences, with preparing teachers to serve and lead in the classroom.

During his first semester at 91大神, an introduction to teaching course placed him in a local school practicum, where he could quickly translate course theory into practice.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I fell in love with teaching,鈥� he said.

Since welcoming students two years ago, Rocktown has earned awards across a wide range of categories, from its innovative architecture and cardiac arrest preparedness to its music education and athletics programs.

鈥淎s a new school,鈥� said Henschel, 鈥渨e鈥檙e currently in the exciting phase of cultivating a culture of excellence and seeing our students reach their full potential.鈥�

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov91大神 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91大神 students. On April 1, let鈥檚 show that our generosity knows no bounds鈥or the record!