On July 1, Valerie Dehombreux boarded a plane in Abu Dhabi and made her way to the United States.

She landed in Phoenix the following evening, got some shuteye, and the next morning found herself walking onto the campus of McDowell Mountain Elementary School to begin her term as its new principal.

When long-time McDowell Mountain Principal Joanne Meehan announced in January that she would be retiring at the end of the 2013-14 school year, the search began to find a replacement to take the elementary school’s reigns.

The selection committee eventually offered a contract to Dehombreux, who was working in Abu Dhabi at the time as a principal for the boys’ and girls’ schools serving grades 5-12.

A field of 31 applicants had been whittled down to one and, according to Superintendent Tom Lawrence, it was because Dehombreux quickly established herself as the obvious selection.

“[Ms. Dehombreux] impressed the committee, garnering the majority of recommendations to move forward,” Lawrence stated in late April, following the School Board’s initial decision to offer Dehombreux a contract.

“Mrs. Dehombreux is an innovative, enthusiastic and engaging instructional leader with 16 total years of experience in K-12 education, eight years as a school principal and nine years in providing teacher training and professional development.”

A week after returning to the U.S., Dehombreux had already settled into her new office.

She was mostly on her own at the time, with the school currently closed for summer vacation; all of the bright lights and laughing children temporarily absent from the school’s typically busy halls.

Dehombreux said she grew up “in a few states,” as her dad was in the Navy and had to move around a bit.

“I lived in Washington, California and Colorado, and the last was Arizona, in Chino Valley, since I was 11,” she said.

“I’m a graduate of Chino Valley High School and went to college at [Northern Arizona University].”

From college, Dehombreux moved directly into education, teaching in White River, Ariz. in the third grade. After six and a half years, Dehombreux became the school improvement specialist before moving on to assistant principal and, eventually, principal at a local elementary school.

As for the past three years, however, Dehombreux continued her service in administration as a principal in Abu Dhabi.

“My husband and I were interested in the area and becoming a part of something that was developing,” Dehombreux said.

“So I went there first, with the hope that he would find a job there and come on over. That didn’t work out, so I started looking back home. It was a really exciting experience, but I’m happy to be back.”

Dehombreux said she began looking for a new job in Arizona and happened to come across the posting for McDowell Mountain.

“It’s early childhood, which I really enjoy,” she said.

“It was that, and the small town yet metro atmosphere, and an exciting interview that really drew me,” she said.

“I spoke with 14 people gathered around a table on Skype, so that was pretty interesting.”

Dehombreux’s time in Abu Dhabi was at an International Bachelorette school, meaning that the curriculum and Common Core standards were all in alignment with what she will be experiencing locally.

“But education is the same no matter where you go,” Dehombreux said.

“You’re trying to achieve the same thing: Educating children…I hope to continue the great things that are already happening here.

“I want to work with the parents, the staff, and I don’t want to change anything that’s working well. But, at the same time, education is about change and making improvements based on student achievement.

“I want our children to feel like they are in a positive, safe environment, and I want them to be excited to come here every day and learn.”