The search for a new principal at Valley Ranch Elementary ended right where it began, with the ascension of assistant principal Sheryl Dennehy. 

While Coppell ISD underwent a formal hiring process, the VRE hallways knew the ideal candidate was already among them. 

“I think it was an obvious choice, and Ms. Dennehy is going to be a wonderful principal,” VRE secretary Carrie Clark said. “
She knows our families. She knows our community. She knows our kids, and that gives her the ability to hit that ground running.”

To Dennehy, this decision represents a culmination of her seven-year career in CISD. Her promotion is a testament to 17 years of experience in education, where she has served as a paraprofessional, classroom teacher, instructional coach and assistant principal. 

This diverse experience is supplemented by her undergraduate degree in communications from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master’s degree in educational administration from Lamar University.

Following three separate interviews with different panels, she was officially named principal on March 27.

“When [assistant superintendent of leadership and administrative services Cooper Hilton] called to offer me the position, my heart was overflowing,” Dennehy said. “VRE and the people I work with feel like family, so being entrusted with leading this school is both an incredible honor and a responsibility I deeply value.”

In the past seven years, Dennehy has worked closely with current principal Cynthia Arterbery. Arterbery leaves behind a 45-year legacy in education, having implemented the Leader in Me (LiM) program at VRE. 

LiM is a school-wide transformation model based on Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand and then to be understood, synergize and sharpen the saw.

“At Valley Ranch, we have explored different learning opportunities for students. We are a Leader in Me campus now, but we have also taken different approaches before,” Arterbery said. “We’re a campus where we teach leadership skills that we encourage students to model every day.”

Dennehy’s approach at VRE is deeply rooted in Arterbery’s leadership style and her own journey in parenthood. 

“Ms. Arterbery has built a strong legacy of collaboration by intentionally involving staff, students, and families in the decision-making process. That approach is something I deeply value and intend to continue,” Dennehy said. “And as a parent, I have a clear vision of the kind of teacher I wanted my children to have, and I’ve always strived to be that educator for others.”

VRE staff expect a smoother learning curve as Dennehy has already stepped into broader administrative responsibilities, such as handling budgets and reports.

“I have given her the opportunity to take on more tasks to have exposure to the role of the principal,” Arterbery said. “It should be a fairly seamless transition, and I don’t foresee any problems in that area.”

As Dennehy assumes her new role in the 2026-27 school year, a trinity of ideals directs her: an early passion for education that stems from childhood memories, her lens as a wife and mother who views VRE as a family and her philosophy: “People don’t care what you know until they know how much you care.”

Ultimately, Dennehy’s core mission is to foster an environment of shared dedication.

“VRE belongs to all of us, and it is our shared responsibility to work together to ensure continued success,” Dennehy said.

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