“Mrs. Huff is the ultimate team player. She operates with kindness and high expectations. Mrs. Huff invests in her students and works very hard to meet their needs, while teaching them how to work hard and grow in responsibility.” -Dr. Jarad Rinne, High School Principal
Mrs. Brandi Huff graduated from Licking High School in 2009. She was active in basketball and track, and Mrs. Huff earned an opportunity to play basketball at St. Louis Community College. After a year there, Mrs. Huff transferred to Drury University in Springfield where she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education in December of 2014. Mrs. Huff earned certification in special education and was hired for a mid-year opening in Rolla that February. After working three years with special education students in elementary and middle school grades, Mrs. Huff moved into a third-grade teaching position at Truman Elementary in Rolla.
Mrs. Huff and her husband welcomed their son, Axel, in February of 2019, and that August, Mrs. Huff transferred to Licking Elementary to teach third grade. Mrs. Huff described loving her experience teaching third grade, a role in which she served for two years, but said she missed the powerful relationships with special education students. “I have always had a very close relationship with my sister, Sidney,” Mrs. Huff said. “She has Down’s Syndrome, and our relationship has given me a special place in my heart for human beings with varied abilities,” Mrs. Huff added. Special education is paperwork heavy, but Mrs. Huff describes her experience in the field as far more rewarding than mere paperwork. “Our relationships are so rewarding because we are working on goals, working on making progress, and focusing on ability…not disability,” shared Mrs. Huff. Missing special education students, Mrs. Huff felt called to this work again and moved to the high school campus to add the role of Process Coordinator to her special education teaching assignment.
As Process Coordinator, Mrs. Huff added administrative duties such as managing federally mandated deadlines for Individual Education Plans, helping establish appropriate goals for students, assisting other teachers with modifications and accommodations, managing 504 Plans, working with other special education teachers on the team, and connecting with counselors and administrators. After about a year-and-a-half in this position, Mrs. Huff was asked to serve the district as Interim Elementary Assistant Principal.
Mrs. Huff started as Interim Elementary Assistant Principal in December 2022. She describes a sharp learning curve in this new position over the last few weeks, but Mrs. Huff continues to use her strength building relationships with elementary students and families in this work. “I love advocating for children, and we are building in more and more proactive strategies to help children learn new behaviors so they can be successful in classrooms and cope with their emotions,” explained Mrs. Huff.
When asked about her influence in pursuing a career in education, Mrs. Huff reflected on the impact of her parents. Mrs. Huff’s father, Mr. Matt Duncan, retired as Director of Rolla Technical Institute/Technical Center. Mrs. Huff’s mother, Mrs. Janell Duncan, served as high school business teacher then retired as high school counselor for Rolla School District. Both parents modeled the flexibility of balancing work responsibilities and family schedules. Mrs. Duncan has returned to Licking High School as a part-time post-secondary advisor and helps with childcare for her grandchildren. Brandi Huff is married to James Huff, a 2005 LHS graduate, and now president of Simmons Bank in Houston, MO. Together the Huffs have two children, Axel, age four; and Sloan, ten months. Whenever they are able, the Huff family enjoys vacationing at the beach and enjoying the outdoors.
Mrs. Huff is known on both the elementary and secondary campuses as a compassionate and reliable adult who will create solutions for young people. She is extraordinarily positive and quick to lend a hand in any moment. For these reasons, we are proud to highlight Mrs. Brandi Huff as our November Spotlight Staff Member!