Principal Nancy Rousseau decided to retire after working as principal for 24 years; she started working at Pulaski Academy in 1976 before she was hired as assistant principal at Little Rock Central High School in 1991. She then left in 1998 to assume the role of principal at Pulaski Junior High School (now known as Pulaski Heights Middle School) before returning to Central High School in 2002 to fulfill the position of Principal.
In her time here, she has developed closer relationships with other faculty members, such as assistant principal Donald Richardson.
“She’s been just like a mother to me, my mother was a principal just like her,” Richardson said. “And my grandfather was a superintendent, just like our superintendent. So she’s taught me so much.”
Rousseau’s nurturing presence and steady guidance continues to make it difficult to imagine the school without her.
“I got misty, because I’m very used to Mrs. Rousseau, and I’ve learned this craft under her tutelage,” Richardson said.
After the announcement, Richardson became teary-eyed hearing the news. Along with him, Kim Burleson, environmental science teacher, believed Rousseau would stay at the school forever.
“I was both surprised and not surprised,” Burleson said. “Several of us who have been here for a while always thought that she would be here till she died, but she deserves the opportunity to retire and her family deserves to have her be fully present for them.”
Even though the retirement came as a surprise, it highlighted a career made by dedication not just for the school, but to the students themselves. In addition, it emphasized a commitment to maintaining standards.
“Students have changed a lot in regards to technology and laws,” Burleson said. “She’s always been willing to adhere to the new standards and laws without ever losing the fundamental belief that the kids are still kids, and deserve the best education that they can have.”
With these shifts, English teacher Toni Hearn says that the shifts seen throughout the years have made Rousseau’s job difficult.
“I think that culture has changed, and I think that COVID really made a big impact,” Hearn said. “And with education having its challenges, that’s made it much more difficult to manage a school this large.”
Aware that the culture has become modified, she continues to feel unsure about what the future will hold under a new leadership.
“I know that I could always trust her to do what’s best for us and not knowing what’s coming next I’m asking myself, am I willing to sit under another principle who I may not be as happy working for,” Hearn said.
With Rousseau deciding to retire, Hearn is also debating the decision of retiring too.
“I’m close to retirement myself,” Hearn said. “My first reaction was maybe I should go ahead and retire. I can’t imagine working under another principle, and quite honestly, I’m a little nervous because education is extremely challenging these days.”
