West Des Moines Community Schools announced associate principal transitions for Valley High School and Valley Southwoods Freshman High School for 2026-27 school year. 

• Haley Hockensmith, former associate principal at Valley Southwoods, will move into the role of associate principal at Valley.
• Davena Johnson, former instructional and intervention leader at Ankeny High School, will move into the role of interim associate principal at Valley Southwoods, pending Board of Education approval.

Haley Hockensmith, Valley High School Associate Principal

Hockensmith moves into the associate principal role at Valley with extensive secondary experience at WDMCS, serving eight years as associate principal at Valley Southwoods. During her time at the ninth-grade building, Hockensmith supported effective grading practices and professional learning communities. Her familiarity with the system and relationships with students and staff will be a welcome addition to the Valley team.

Hockensmith earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary English education and master’s of education in educational leadership, both from Iowa State University. 

 

 

Davena Johnson, Valley Southwoods Associate Principal

Johnson brings 20 years of experience into the associate principal role at Valley Southwoods, serving the last six at Ankeny High School. Throughout her career, Johnson has demonstrated student-centered leadership and a commitment to culture and belonging. In addition to her time at Ankeny, Johnson has experience as an instructional leader at both Brody Middle School in Des Moines and Franklin Middle School in Cedar Rapids.

Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Mount Mercy College. She went on to earn her master’s in educational leadership from the University of New England.