Go Broncos! (06-25-07)

Just as I was looking forward to my second year as a high school principal, I have decided to start over once more, this time as the principal of Hill City Elementary School and Longfellow Middle School.

I have been asked countless times in the last two weeks if this is a good move for me, or if I should be congratulated, or how I feel about the switch. People knew how happy I was at the high school and many seemed a little puzzled or even concerned about the move.

I just want to set the record straight: while I loved my position as the principal of the high school, I love the town and the district even more. After careful consideration, I came to the conclusion that this move was good for the district and good for me. In fact, I was the one who offered the switch as a possibility when I had been told that Mr. Young had resigned.

Not that this was an easy choice to make. First and foremost I will miss the kids. They treated me with great respect and warmth and I feel blessed for the year I had with them. However, I know that the students will be just fine with Mr. Stein, and knowing my replacement as well as I do helped me make the decision to let him take my place.

I will also miss the high school staff. They are as wise as they are supportive and they helped my through many a difficult spot. Our faculty meetings were productive and positive and everyone at the high school is focused first and foremost on the needs of the students. The general excellence of the high school staff was another reason I decided to make the switch. I knew that Mr. Stein would be in good hands.

Not that he wouldn’t have been in good hands over at the grade school or middle school. I have heard repeatedly from many reliable sources that I am in for a real treat with my new staff. From what few interactions I have had with the K-8 staff, I have no reason to believe that they won’t be anything but outstanding.

However, I knew that I would be new anywhere I went. If I stayed at the high school, I would still have a lot less experience with the high school students and the staff than Mr. Stein, so if I stepped aside to allow him to become the high school principal, both Mr. Stein and the high school would have a fairly seamless transition. As our athletic director, he has been serving in an administrative capacity for four years. All that really changes for my replacement is his job title and his office.

I, on the other hand, am now looking forward to learning 250+ new names of my two new schools. I am looking forward to getting to know all the dedicated people who serve in those buildings. I am looking forward to getting to know the buildings, the schedules, the procedures and the traditions of HCES and LMS. While part of me will always remain a Ringneck, I am now going to be a Bronco.

To all those I leave behind, I can only offer a sincere thanks for all that was done to help make my first year such a success. I am only going across town because I hope that I and my family will be part of Hill City life for a very long time.