To start off the interview with Mrs. DoCouto, we asked a few basic questions about her background before and after taking on the role of Vice Principal.

“What was it like being the athletic director?”

Mrs. DoCouto stated there were many similarities between her former job, the athletic director here, and currently being one of our Vice Principals. In her former job, she was able to work with parents, students, and coaches. Now, she’s working with students who are non-athletes and teachers, but also with some of the same groups of students, parents, coaches, etc.

“Do you have any kids?”

Mrs. DoCouto is pregnant. Her due date is December 4, which is very soon. Other than her baby on the way, Mrs. DoCouto has no “real” kids, but two pugs, who she refers to as her babies. Their names are Buffy and Cobaine.

“Where do you live now?”

Mrs. DoCouto still lives here in Somerset, where she’s lived her whole life.

“Is it true that you grew up here? What is it like being the Vice Principal of the school you went to? Do you have pride?”

Yes, Mrs. DoCouto said she absolutely has pride in SBRHS. She had “such a great experience [that she] just had to come back.” She also came to give back to the community.

“What will it be like when you go on maternity leave? Who will be your replacement and take over”

She replied with saying that Mr. Lawrence is going to take over. She mentioned that he had been “shadowing” her around the school to get more information on how he should prepare. He helped her sometimes to get used to the transition and get ready for the big change. In Mrs. DoCouto’s words, Mr. Lawrence is “very organized” and “is a perfect fit for the team.”

“What does your typical day consist of?”

Mrs. DoCouto’s day mainly consists of many “504” meetings. 504’s are meetings to deal with the federal law that protects students with disabilities from being discriminated against at school. Also, observations of students and new improvements that should be made in the future. Don’t forget, the dreadful discipline!

“How do you deal with the stress of being the Vice Principal?”

Having someone to bounce ideas off of really takes off some of the stress since it isn’t so much pressure on just one person. It makes the job easier and definitely more interesting to be able to interact with others. She also mentioned that eating and drinking healthy really gives her the amount of energy she needs to last the day and stay on top of things.

“Did you choose your job as Vice Principal or were you asked?”

Mrs. DoCouto applied for the position of Vice Principal. It was a “very tough decision” for her to make. She loved being the athletic director but now she’s more involved with the students in her opinion. She does not regret transitioning positions.

“What are the best and worst parts of your job?”

The best part of being the Vice Principal for Mrs. DoCouto is that she can “make a better general connection” beyond just the athletes. The worst part about it is the discipline. Mrs. DoCouto does not really like disciplining her students but it’s “something that needs to be done.” Also, discovering the behind the scenes information that should maybe be kept private for the students isn’t always a good thing.

Mrs. DoCouto was a joy to interview and we are glad to have gotten a chance to get to know her better.