Cristo-Rey OKC hires founding principal ahead of 2018 opening
Cristo-Rey-Oklahoma City Catholic High School has hired its founding principal and is on track to open its doors in fall 2018.
Cody Yocom will begin his work at Cristo ReyOklahoma City starting immediately and, together with Renee Porter, school president, he will continue preparations for the school’s first class of students.
Yocom said he is excited to be joining Cristo Rey and its transformative educational model that exclusively serves children in lowincome families.
The national network of Cristo Rey Catholic schools focuses on a combination of rigorous academics and “real world” work experience.
All Cristo Rey students receive financial aid as part of a work-study program funded by local business partners.
“This is a special opportunity for my family and me,” Yocom said in a news release. “Cristo-Rey OKC educates the whole student. It is more than an education; it’s about giving them a future. We are going to reveal possibilities and open doors to success these students have never even imagined. I can’t wait to see our first class of students walk through the door.”
Under Yocom’s leadership as principal at Uplift Heights, an urban preparatory charter school in Dallas, the school led its district in math and reading score improvement for all grade levels in 2016 and consistently exceeded growth targets on standardized testing benchmarks.
Before joining Uplift Heights, Yocom served as co-principal of the KIPP Renaissance High School in New Orleans. Once considered a troubled school, Yocom helped to lead a comeback, overhauling school culture, emphasizing higher expectations and increasing the percentage of students scoring “good” or “excellent” on state testing from 34 percent to 50 percent.
Yocom began his education career in 2006 as a social studies teacher before becoming interested in administrative and educational leadership work.
He went on to complete the prestigious Ryan Fellowship, a three-year program which trains gifted teachers to become principals in urban charter schools.
Porter said Yocom was hired for his work ethic, his leadership and his vision.
“We didn’t just want an administrator, we wanted a visionary with a strong belief in Christian values and a proven record in obtaining outcomes,” Porter said.
“We are building a new school, a new community and a new culture. Cody is committed to ensuring we deliver a world-class Catholic educational experience to our students and their families and maximizing our potential to change and improve lives.”
Yocom earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and a master’s degree from Roosevelt University. He is pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership from Dallas Baptist University.
He and his wife and two children moved to Oklahoma City this month.