By Annie Paccione
Cypress High School’s new Vice Principal Ann-Marie Bernhard is excited to be back on campus and reconnect with students and staff. Before returning to Cypress, Bernhard spent 15 years teaching math before she stepped into a different administration role that eventually led her to become an assistant principal. Even though at first she considered attending medical school to become a dermatologist or anesthesiologist, she found her passion in education.
Building trust with staff, students, and families is one of her biggest priorities. She believes that open and honest communication is the key to a strong relationship. Bernhard said, “Having open and honest communication and being transparent with what’s going on is the number one step to build that trust.” She hopes to continue communicating with the Cypress community and creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable and supported by her.
As she starts the 2026-2027 school year, Bernhard’s main goal is to learn as much as she can about Cypress and the staff. Being new on campus is her current role; she compares the experience to being a new student herself. “I feel like a new student as well,” she said. She is looking forward to new activities and being a part of them.
For Bernhard, one of the most important parts of working in education is seeing growth and change in everyone, not just the students. She enjoys watching people learn, grow, and expand while continuing to learn. Her favorite part of the job is seeing her students’ journey, especially this senior year. She formerly worked with many of them when they were seventh graders at Lexington Junior High.
As she continues to grow in her new role, she hopes to inspire her students to stay true to themselves and follow their dreams. Her advice to her students who want to become leaders is simple: “Always be yourself.” She motivates her students to keep a strong moral compass, stay focused on who they are and what they want to accomplish, and never lose sight of who they are and what they want to be.
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