By Philip Navarrette/reporter@trcle.com
March 06, 2008 06:27 pm
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A Cleburne High School assistant principal died Thursday morning in a wreck on her way to school.
Krista Findley crashed at 6:55 a.m. on Farm-to-Market Road 933, 6.2 miles north of Whitney, according to DPS reports. She was traveling to school from her home in the White Bluff neighborhood near Lake Whitney.
Findley failed to yield as she turned onto FM 933, and another vehicle struck her Pontiac. The collision pushed her car into the path of another oncoming vehicle, which also hit her, according to DPS reports.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. The drivers of the other two vehicles were from Whitney but were not identified further. One driver was transported in serious condition to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco. The other was uninjured.
Findley’s husband, Wayne, a teacher at CISD’s Phoenix campus, was not in the vehicle. Wayne Findley could not be reached for comment.
Findley, 54, became an assistant principal at CHS in August 2006 after four years on staff as a social studies teacher, according to a press release from the district. Findley was in her 17th year as an educator, having also taught in Andrews ISD.
“She was a good one,” CHS Principal Monte Pritchett said. “There was no better advocate for kids than Krista. She loved the kids at CHS and they, in turn, loved her.”
Pritchett and Findley served together as assistant principals before Pritchett’s promotion to principal in May.
“This will hit especially hard the kids who knew her well, who worked directly with her,” Pritchett said. “We will all be at a loss over this. She brought so much to the table. She was dedicated. She put children first and was always willing to go the extra step for them, no matter how much time it took. She was a consummate professional and a warm human being.”
Pritchett broke the news and discussed efforts to meet anticipated counseling needs in a brief meeting with teachers and staff before the start of school. Teachers shared the news of the wreck with students at the start of first period.
Social studies teacher and head basketball coach Jeff Cody taught with Findley and described her as a professional who was dedicated to CHS and the students she served.
“She was a true servant, and that’s what made her special,” Cody said. “She will be missed.”
Students also were also shaken by Findley’s death.
“I think there’s a lot of shock,” said Student Council President Will Snider. “Nobody expects something like this. She gave us so much support. She was always nice. I never heard a bad word spoken about her among the student body, which is pleasing, considering her role as an assistant principal, which is a tough position.
“She was always funny and extremely nice to every one of us. Those of us in leadership are trying to support our teachers today in honor of all the support she gave us as a teacher and assistant principal.”
Grief counselors have been dispatched to the high school to help staff and students cope with the situation, according to the release.
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