Pathways Middle College High School has made several changes to its program this year, including a new director. Chris McAdoo became the new director of Pathways when the new school year began in August.

McAdoo said he was approached by Chris Brewster, superintendent of Santa Fe South High School, about the job.

Pathways high school has occupied space on the third floor of the Main Building for 13 years. Beginning this fall, Pathways has become a unit of Santa Fe South.

McAdoo, who spent the last five years as the assistant principal at Harding Fine Arts Academy, said he was excited at the chance to work for Brewster, assistant superintendent Raul Font, and the organization.

“I’ve respected those gentlemen for 20 years now,” McAdoo said.

“I’ve known them from back when Chris Brewster and I were teachers and coaches against each other. They run an excellent school for Santa Fe South and I want to learn from them.”

McAdoo said there are a lot of differences between Pathways and other schools that he has been at in the past, but the facilities stand out to him the most.

“The facilities are absolutely amazing — to be able to have high school students go to the Communications Lab (on campus) or go to the Math Lab for resources or to get help on their stuff.

“For our science students to actually go participate in a chemistry lab in a college laboratory is amazing.

“To have the facilities to where our kids can go do the computer research, that is unheard of.

“At my old school we had 40 computers for 400 students.

“This campus is amazing and the professors — everyone I have worked with is amazing. Just the resources and the facilities are unparalleled.”

Knowing the importance of education, McAdoo said he is happy to see it become important to the high school students as well.

“I absolutely love the kids,” he said.  “I love the fact that they’re in an adult environment, and you see this wonder in their eye that they get to be a part of that environment.

“By being a part of a more adult environment, they are naturally growing up faster. “

McAdoo said he didn’t realize Pathways Middle College High School was here, or that Oklahoma had a school like this, but said he is happy to be a part of it.

“I will tell you, I have loved every single interaction I have had with the OCCC community, from Dr. (Paul) Sechrist, to Dr. (John) Boyd and Dr. (Jerry) Steward,” he said.

“They have been absolutely amazing to work with and I could not be more blessed as an administrator for a high school to work with such wonderful people … . I’m giddy to come to work every day.”

McAdoo said he attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah for his undergraduate years, and went on to obtain a master’s degree at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.

He has plans to obtain a doctorate from Oklahoma State University in the future.

For more information, email Mc-Adoo at cmcadoo@santafesouth.org or call at 405-815-7919.