For Riley Elementary School’s principal, parent conversations sometimes bring a familiar face back into the building — someone who once sat in her classroom and now has a child of their own walking its halls.

In 25 years at Riley, Lisa Starr has taught fifth and fourth grades, supported teachers as an instructional coach and, now in her second year as principal, taken responsibility for a school that has shaped much of her career.

Those years have allowed Starr to watch students become parents, colleagues and adults contributing to the community. They have also reinforced what she hopes every child takes away from Riley.

“I hope they someday look back on their time here and think we gave them a safe, loving place to be,” she said. “They were cared for and we all wanted what was best for them.”

Growing up in Otis-Bison, she always wanted to teach. Positive experiences with her own teachers helped point her toward education, leading her to Barton Community College and Fort Hays State University.

Becoming a principal, however, was not part of her original plan.

“I really never saw myself as a principal,” she said.

Encouragement from Khris Thexton first planted the idea of pursuing an administration degree. Then, in January 2020, she and her husband, Travis, began discussing their upcoming teaching license renewals.

He suggested they work toward their master’s degrees together.

With a built-in study partner at home, each had someone to turn to when coursework became challenging. A distance learning course they took before the COVID-19 pandemic also provided ideas they could apply in their own schools when education abruptly changed.

Both graduated from Fort Hays State University. Travis is a teacher and assistant principal at Otis-Bison, where their sons, Marcus, a junior, and Brett, an eighth-grader, attend school.

Her preparation for leadership also came from years of watching other principals work.

Ruth Heinrichs was her first principal at Riley, and lessons from those early years continue to guide her.

“I learned so much from her as a new teacher and even now, I’ll be in a situation and think back to what I observed Ruth doing,” she said.

She also credits former principals Joann Blevins and Beth Ryan, along with fellow administrators and district leaders who share ideas and offer support.

One lesson she has learned in her new role is that every question does not require an immediate answer.

“I’m still pretty new but I’ve learned you don’t always have to make a decision right away,” she said.

At Riley, which has 235 students and 53 staff members, she wants visitors to notice an accepting, welcoming atmosphere.

That includes checking on guest teachers to make sure they have what they need and recognizing the contributions of everyone who keeps the school running.

“I have a really great team of people to work with,” Starr said. “We’re all here for the good of the kids.”

That willingness to help was evident when the school set a fundraising goal of providing every student with a Riley T-shirt. After reaching the goal, volunteers gathered on a Saturday and made almost 300 shirts.

“We had more help than we needed,” she said.

Students have worn them on field trips and wear them on Wednesdays, giving them a shared connection to their school. Playground equipment is a longer-term fundraising goal.

Starr said she’s extremely proud of how her families also demonstrate their commitment through participation. The school’s most recent parent-teacher conferences drew 96% attendance.

“It just goes to show how involved our parents are with the students and their education,” she said.

Inside classrooms, a focus is helping students take greater ownership of their learning through goal setting. Finding time for those conversations alongside daily instruction can be challenging, but she has been encouraged by students’ responses.

“They’re taking ownership of their own learning,” Starr said. “They’ve really bought in.”

Staff members review student data every five weeks, using screening results and progress monitoring to determine whether students need additional interventions or smaller adjustments to their instruction.

Success can mean reading more words per minute, mastering math facts or learning to get along better with classmates, Starr explained.

Supporting teachers through that work means helping them recognize progress, too. She offers encouragement in conversations and emails, reminding staff members to notice what is going well when challenges threaten to overshadow it.

“As humans, we notice the negatives a lot quicker,” Starr said.

A volunteer climate and culture team helps build those connections through activities for students, staff and families. Twice a year, “kindness coffees” welcome parents at the door with a cup of coffee.

Students also participate in service projects on early dismissal days. One project involved making fall placemats for local retirement homes, with a few students helping deliver them.

Those visits give children an opportunity to meet people who helped build the community they now call home.

“It’s so rewarding for everyone,” Starr said.

She sees that caring spirit within Riley’s halls as well. When a staff member tripped one day, about 10 students asked the principal to check on her.

The connections can last long after elementary school. Shortly before graduation, about 27 former Riley students returned to walk the halls, giving staff a chance to celebrate their accomplishments and younger students a glimpse of what lies ahead.

Some former students have returned as employees. Others cross her path around town.

For a principal whose career has unfolded in one building, those encounters offer a lasting measure of the work.

“I enjoy seeing former students out in the community as adults,” Starr said.