Noel Primary is our next stop on our Meet the Principals tour across the McDonald County School District. Here we catch up with Greg Capps as we celebrate National Principals Month.

A chance encounter with a familiar stranger with a beard reminded Noel Primary School Principal Greg Capps why education is important to him.
“Last night I was in Walmart when a big, bearded man walked past me. He told me I looked familiar and asked if we knew each other. I asked if he had ever attended the school I taught at, which he had, and I asked his name. We recognized each other immediately at that point and a giant wall dropped,” Capps said. “I walked away struck with the thought that our time with our kids is short, and we must plant all the positive seeds we can because, before we know it, those seeds will sprout into big, bearded men who will have to find their way in the world with those seeds we sowed.”
Capps has been spreading those positive seeds across the education landscape for the past 18 years. He says the way education has changed in those years is making school a better experience for students.
“When I was in school it was common to teach everything the same way, which simply didn't work for my busy mind. I felt like I wasn't as smart as many other students. Because of that, school was a very hard experience for me,” Capps said. “Since that time there has been a great deal of research on how individuals learn and that many students respond better with spatial, kinesthetic, mathematical, or a variety of other approaches. I encourage our teachers to be creative and diverse in their approach to reaching our kids.”
Capps says in the two years he’s been at Noel Primary, he’s seen the teachers using innovative approaches to make a difference in students’ lives.
“My job as a principal is to ensure that students have a safe and secure environment to learn, as well as ensure that they are getting the best education possible. The skilled, energetic, and positive staff make that possible every day. The best thing about my job is being able to serve on such a talented team,” he said.
Capps is married and has two children. He says when he’s not working, he spends a lot of time riding and racing mountain bikes.
“Riding bikes makes me a better person because it forces me to step away from everything and focus entirely on the moment. Most of my best ideas happen when I'm on a bike,” he said.
He even shares his passion with others as one of the coaches on the newly formed Mustang Mountain Bike Team.
But it’s his team at Noel Primary School that makes his day.
“There are three things that are special about Noel Primary School. Numer one, the students. Number two, the students. And number three, the students! We have the most amazing, funny, kind, and diverse group of kids at Noel Primary. They have been so accepting of me from day one.”

Noel Primary School

Greg Capps, Principal, Noel Primary

MCR1 School Re-Entry Plan