“I want to give credit to Mrs. Burnette,” says a humbled and honored John Delacey, who is overjoyed at being named the new principal elect at Owensboro High School. “I’m inheriting something that is already great. In her 12 years, she has laid the foundation. OHS has been so successful because of her vision and that is a tremendous benefit to me. My job is to come in and continue to move things forward.”
Walking down the storied hallways of Owensboro High School with Mr. Delacey, it is crystal clear he could not be more proud to be a part of the OHS family as principal. He is an ’87 graduate of OHS, where he was a multi-sport athlete and earned state championship rings in both football and baseball. After college he worked his way up the district level as an elementary teacher at Cravens, assistant football coach for 12 years at OHS, and assistant principal at Owensboro 5-6 campus.
It’s all the relationships he’s built with students, faculty, and family over that time which will serve him extremely well in this new role. Every teacher walking down the hallway already knows him. The kids in extracurricular activities call him by name.
“What I enjoyed most about teaching and coaching is building relationships with the students and players,” Delacey said. “But what is so exciting to me is now I get to see them finish! Some of these kids I taught in 3rd grade and now I get to see them graduate. That, to me, is just unbelievable.”
Owensboro Living is proud to bring you this exclusive interview with OHS Principal-elect John Delacey.
