Q&A with Mrs. Custer

With the 2023-24 school year upon us, Mrs. Jamie Custer has officially taken the reins as Secondary Principal. Mrs. Custer brings with her a wealth of leadership experience to the position and has demonstrated a deep love and care for all of the students with whom she has worked.

Read below to learn a little more about Mrs. Custer and her goals for the students at Mustang Mountain during this upcoming school year.

Mrs. Custer, tell us a little about yourself for those who haven’t had the pleasure of getting to know you.

This will be my seventh year at CAC, beginning as a fourth/fifth grade teacher, then as principal of the PV campus and then most recently serving as Director of Academic Counseling at the Secondary Campus. I grew up in Northern Arkansas right on the Missouri border. I grew up in a small town that gave me a great appreciation for the natural beauty of Arkansas.

I received a B.S. from Harding University, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Freed-Hardeman University and an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University. I’ve been married to my husband Drew for 21 years. We have two children Hannah (11th) and Luke (9th). We also have an adorable Yorkie Poo named Pepper and a brand new Cockapoo named Charlie. 

What originally drew you to education as a career path?

As a high school student, I had many teachers who invested deeply in my life. Their impact, combined with a love of learning, led me to the field of education. Each day brings new purpose and joy and I’m very grateful to be able to do this work. 

What initially led you to leave the classroom and move into administration?

As a teacher, I had mentors who encouraged me to move into a leadership role. While I really loved being in the classroom teaching every day, I enjoy getting to be a part of every classroom and every grade level in some capacity as the principal.

For those of us who might have only a vague idea of what a principal does, what will be your main day-to-day focus at Mustang Mountain?

While my responsibilities vary greatly from day to day, my goals each day remain the same – to honor God in the work that we do and to create an environment for teachers and students that supports academic and spiritual growth.  

What are you most excited about in your new role and what are some of your goals for this school year?

I look forward to seeing the growth that students will experience this year in their classrooms and in all of their extracurricular activities. 

One of my biggest goals for this year is to empower and inspire student leaders through teaching and by providing opportunities for them to lead. We have the best students at CAC and it is a joy to work with them every day! 

The theme for this school year is “He must become greater. I must become less.” from John 3:30. How do you anticipate this will impact our school year? 

I love that the Student Council chose this verse because it connects directly to CAC’s cornerstone verse which is Mark 12:30. Both verses offer a similar call for us to love God and love others. I hope that this verse will be a continual reminder to everyone on campus to put God and others before self. As we help students learn, grow, and eventually graduate to become a part of this community, this is the message we seek to instill in them so they can be a blessing to their families and communities and be a light in this world.