New face to administrate at RHMS
Article by Kathy Dunker with photo by Amy Shanahan
Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) welcomes a new face to its administrative team. Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Mike Loitz is new to the middle school, replacing Assistant Principal James McMurphy, who went on to become the principal of Ranch View Middle School High for the 2011-2012 school year.
Loitz, born and raised in Illinois, graduated with a Bachelors degree in General Science Education from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. Loitz taught seventh grade science for two years in Illinois before moving to Castle Rock to teach in the Douglas County School District (DCSD). During the next five years, Loitz taught seventh and eighth grade math and science at Castle Rock Middle School.
During that time, Loitz studied after hours and received his Masters degree in Information and Learning Technologies from CU Denver. He also received his Principal Licensure from the University of Phoenix. In 2007, Loitz was the Dean of Students at Ponderosa High School and later became an Assistant Principal for that school. Eager to return to the middle school realm, Loitz took the position of Assistant Principal at RHMS this year.
Loitz remarked about the move to RHMS, “It was an opportunity to get back to the middle school level, stay in a great school district, and be in the highest performing middle school in Douglas County! It is a win/win situation!”
Loitz, who was married just over a year ago, is a huge Chicago Cubs and Bears fan, but still roots for the Rockies and Broncos too.
Loitz went on to say, “[RHMS] feels like home already. The kids and the community have welcomed me with open arms. I know everyone says this about their school, but this being the fourth school in my career, it truly is a special place!”
