By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

After living and teaching in Wichita for 11 years, Travis Rogers, the new high school principal at Marion-Florence school district, feels like he is returning to his roots.

“I always had that desire to get back to a smaller town and be a head principal,” he said. “I also have two small kids and wanted them to be raised in a smaller town with more opportunities.”

Rogers grew up in the Texas Panhandle. He attended Friends University at Wichita after graduating high school. He played golf and was a physical education major, graduating in 2006.

Rogers taught physical education at Wichita South for seven years and coached boys basketball and golf.

He obtained a degree in administration at Baker University at Baldwin City in May 2014.

Rogers came to Marion from Wichita West High School, where he served as an assistant principal for four years. Wichita West had 1,400 students, more than twice as many as Marion.

Rogers will join eight other new staff members. He sees that as a unique challenge, a chance to blend new ideas with old.

“All of the new people are really strong,” he said. “I want to blend them in with the success the school has had.”

Rogers is anxious to learn to know people and become part of the community, he said.

“I’m very excited to get to know students and parents,” he said. “I’ve thought about this for so long, and I’m anxious to get started.”

Rogers and his wife, April, live at the county lake. Daughter Ayla, 5, will be in kindergarten. Son Tyson is 3.

They are looking forward to opportunities provided by living at the lake, like fishing, hiking, and walking.