Administration,
Faculty, & Staff
Welcome, Bolton Bears! I’m so glad you’re here, and I hope you are as proud as I am to be a part of the Bolton tradition.
For over one hundred years Bolton High School has provided opportunities for students to excel in academics, arts, and athletics and to become productive citizens as well as lifelong learners.
We continue to honor the traditions and successes of the past as we look to the future. Through innovative teaching and integration of technology, our academic offerings are second to none. With the addition of the Bolton Conservatory, students are provided opportunities to thrive in a creative atmosphere. And our young athletes have a variety of opportunities through our many athletic programs.
Every Bolton Bear has the opportunity not only to be successful, but to excel.
We are rooted in excellence, and roaring into the future!
-- Mr. Dewayne Vines, Bolton High School Principal
Administration
Mr. Dewayne Vines was named the 12th principal of Bolton High School in January 2021. He brought with him more than a decade of experience as a principal in Central Louisiana when he joined the administration of the most storied high school in Rapides Parish, which opened in Alexandria in 1915.
A 1994 graduate of Northwestern State University, Mr. Vines spent 14 years as an English and journalism teacher at Jennings and Pineville high schools before entering administration. His first stop was at Bolton High School, where he served as an assistant principal for two years from 2008-10. After leaving Bolton the first time, Mr. Vines spent three years as the principal at Bunkie High School before returning to Rapides Parish as the principal at Tioga Junior High School. After two years at Tioga Junior High, he became principal at Buckeye High School, where he spent more than five years before returning to Bolton.
Because he was a former teacher moving into administration during his first stop at Bolton, Mr. Vines said he was able to learn a lot during his time here from the faculty, staff and students. When the opportunity came to return to Bolton, Mr. Vines said he was very excited. He said the faculty and students have been very positive about his arrival and welcomed him with open arms.
Mr. Vines has been married to his wife Becky, who is the testing coordinator for Rapides Parish, for over 30 years. They have three adult sons: Matt, Jacob, and Joey, as well as a daughter-in-law, Ashlee. When he’s not at school, Mr. Vines enjoys hiking, reading, and playing and writing music. Because his sons played basketball, Mr. Vines referred to himself as a “basketball dad” and cited that sport as his favorite. He said he watches all sports but doesn’t have any favorite teams, though his family takes a yearly trip to New Orleans to watch the Pelicans play.
During his 10-plus years as a principal, Mr. Vines said that he has developed the philosophy that “you have to be consistent to be fair.” He said he enjoys seeing the looks on students’ faces when they succeed at challenging tasks, and he’s inspired when students and teachers exceed the expectations that they set for themselves. After nearly 25 years in education, Mr. Vines said that he hopes he’s been able to help instill a life-long love of reading and learning in his students.
Executive Assistant Principal,
Bonnie White
Mrs. Bonnie White is the Executive Assistant Principal for Bolton High School. A former English teacher and Lead Teacher at Pineville High School, Mrs. White was the school counselor at Northwood High School before becoming a Bolton Bear in 2018. She has a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University at Alexandria and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Northwestern State University.
A former member of the LSU Tigerband, Mrs. White is a huge fan of LSU baseball and the US Air Force Academy. Mrs. White has two daughters with her husband of twenty-two years, Chip White. When away from school, Mrs. White either has a book or a fishing pole nearby. Her bucket list goal is travel with a big suitcase and a full passport.
Mrs. White's educational philosophy is grounded in her childhood experiences. A child's education is the one thing no one can take from them. "I want to give students the tools to be responsible, productive, and accomplished members of society. I want to empower adolescents to reach their potential and make their hopes and plans a reality. I want adolescents to know that their opinions and ideas matter so that when they become adults, they will feel that same sense of pride and confidence that will keep those hopes and dreams alive. I believe that education should never end. The day you stop learning is the day your mind and your soul begins to die."
Lead Teacher:
Ronald Heard
Ronald Heard
Mr. Ronald Heard is a 1997 Bulldog graduate with a BS in Fitness & Wellness with a minor in Social Studies. He’s also a Ragin Cajun with a Master’s in Educational Leadership from ULL.
This is his 25th year as an educator and although this is his third year as Lead Teacher at Bolton, he’s been a Bear before! He and his wife Kasey will be celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary this year and have three children- Wiley, Bennett, and Louis.
He likes to fish and golf and work in his yard. He cheers for the Tigers, the Saints, and the Incredible Hulk!
The best piece of advice he’s ever received is “a happy wife is a happy life!!!!”
Mr. Heard loves the family atmosphere at Bolton. “The faculty and staff are all just really friendly here.”
He truly enjoys connecting with students in whatever way he can and he hopes that he can make a difference in people’s lives.
Lead Teacher:
Hayley Dean
Hayley Dean
Mrs. Hayley Dean has served in education for 15 years, this being her second year in administration and her second year at Bolton. She earned her Bachelor's from LSUA, Alternative Certification from LC, and Master's from ULL.
She and her husband Thomas Dean have been married for 18 years this year and have three adorable children- Pierce, Hayes, and Nora.
When she’s not busy being Soccer Mom to her boys, she loves to watch LSU football. A country girl at heart, one of her favorite childhood memories is getting shell peas with her grandmother.
Mrs. Dean is enjoying her time at Bolton: “Everyone has been so friendly, and I love seeing some of my past students every day.”
She believes in the idea that staying positive doesn't mean you have to be happy all the time. It means that even on hard days you know that there are better ones coming. “I hope my students will always remember how much love I had for them. I want them to look back and say 'Man, Mrs. Dean really cared about me as a person. She made me feel like I mattered.'”
Grad Coach:
Jawarren Humphrey
Jawarren Humphrey
Coach Jawarren Humphrey, or Coach Hump as he is known to everyone at Bolton High School, is Bolton’s graduation coach. This year is his fifth at Bolton, as he came with Mr. Byrnes to help foster “a positive, engaging and caring atmosphere” on campus. He works to prevent violence on campus and communicates with parents to help keep students on a path toward graduation. He also is an assistant girls basketball coach. Coach Hump has a bachelor’s degree in education from Northwestern State University and is in his 21st year in education.
Coach Hump says he enjoys being a father and a mentor, and he loves making people laugh. He has been known to spend some of his nights on stage performing stand-up comedy. He lists football and basketball as his favorite sports and the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Lakers as his favorite teams. Kobe Bryant’s memoir The Mamba Mentality is his favorite book.
While Coach Hump strives to make a difference at Bolton and in his community, he leans on the example set by his superhero — his father. “The work ethic I have, I learned from watching him be a strong husband and father,” he says. “Not all superheros wear a cape.” Coach Hump says his favorite part of being at Bolton is the family atmosphere and that he truly enjoys coming to work because of his co-workers and the students at the school. Watching Bolton students growing into young adults inspires him, and he says he enjoys seeing students “work so hard to achieve a goal and to see the joy on their face once they reach their goal.”