Published: July 17, 2006 10:41 am      

Schneider takes over reigns at Palestine Middle School

With over six years of school administration under his belt, Palestine Middle School’s new principal Dr. Edd Schneider has never lost his faith in the education system and in seeing his students achieve.

It is that positive attitude that Schneider brings with him to PMS as he starts a new job in a city he has called home for the past five years.

“I have been principal at Drane Intermediate School in Corsicana since June of 2000,” he explained. “My wife, Susan, is from this area so we moved to Palestine in 2001.”

More than just a shorter commute, Schneider’s new role at PMS also allows him to have an influence on a larger group of students.

“I really liked the idea of being principal at a more diverse campus,” he said. “Drane was a sixth grade campus of about 450 while PMS is a three-grade campus of 750 students.”

Schneider said he has already met several members of the faculty and a few parents, and has been impressed by the positive attitude they have about having him join the campus.

“The one thing that impressed me about the teachers was the fact that they bragged on each other,” he said. “They all told me that I was coming in to a good staff — it means a lot to me to know that.”

While Schneider is confident in the friendly atmosphere that already exists on his campus, he hopes to see that cheery attitude do nothing but improve during his tenure.

“A campus can never be too friendly,” he said. “It can always be better.”

Of course, as principal, Schneider also wants to provide a good education and atmosphere for the students.

“That’s why we are here,” he said.

While Schneider doesn’t consider himself to be a “browbeater,” he does claim to be a good disciplinarian — wanting only the best from his students.

“To be in education, you have to like the kids — you have to try to find the good in all the students on your campus,” he said. “Even those considered to be problem students are still good deep down — they just need a little extra help sometimes.”

Schneider has been in education field since 1972, getting his start at Hico Independent School District as a band, choir and elementary music teacher as well as the district’s assistant football coach.

“At a school that small, you had to wear a lot of hats,” he laughed.

In 1978, Schneider began a 21-year stint at Teague ISD, where he held several positions over the years including: secondary physical education teacher and assistant coach, athletic director and head coach, elementary music teacher, secondary math teacher and head girls‚ coach, and secondary math and computer math teacher.

In 1999, Schneider moved on to Corsicana ISD where he served as assistant principal, then his most recent spot as principal at Drane Intermediate School.

A McAllen native, Schneider received a Bachelors of Music Education from Tarleton State University in 1966. He earned a Masters of Education in Health and Physical Education from Tarleton in 1977 and completed his doctorate in education through Stephen F. Austin State University in December 2002.

In addition to his role as principal at PMS, Schneider also maintains his role as an adjunct professor at Texas A&M-Commerce in Corsicana where he teaches education mid-management courses.

His wife, Susan, works for the Region VII Education Service Center in Kilgore. The couple has three grown sons and two grandchildren, whom they visit as much as they can.