My father was in a local newspaper article back home this week cover the start of the new school year. As a high school principal, my father has been in the Victoria school district for 23 years. That is pretty amazing for a person to remain a principal in one place for 23 years, but dad was not only a principal he does the transportation scheduling things, activities and athletics scheduling, class scheduling, etc. He has even stepped up and sponsored the National Honor Society so it could remain active when no teacher wanted to take the time and do the work involved to sponsor the group. This year my dad will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for the high school (a fitting honor as he prepares for retirement in the next few years). Needless to say Jeff, the kids and I are very proud of him!
Here is the article from the paper (the picture from the paper is above ~ I'm still not sure how I can place the picture elsewhere in the text yet!).
JEFF GIRALDO / Hays Daily News Mike Kreller, principal for Victoria High School, invites seniors, from left, Chrissy Leikam, Janae Brungardt, Taylor Lang and Cade Scott into his office to discuss the instructional television class they will be taking this year.
Principals listen, learn on the job
By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN
Hays Daily News
Thursday was the first full day of school for students at the two Catholic schools in Hays, as well as the public school in nearby Victoria.
The leaders of those schools have a wide range of experience at their respective jobs, from the veteran of the group in Victoria to a first-time principal in Hays.
Mike Kreller began his 23rd year as principal at Victoria High School like so many years before.
Denis Coakley is in just his second year as principal at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays.
And Jana Simon begins her debut as a principal as she takes over the reins at Holy Family Elementary School in Hays.
Victoria features a plethora of experience in administration.
Following Kreller in number of years as principals in USD 432 are David Ottley, in his 24th year at Victoria Elementary School, including eight as assistant principal or principal.
Kreller said each year is a learning experience for him as well as the students. And of all the things he has learned during the years, there is one that sticks out above all the rest -- to listen.
"Listen to the students, listen to the families, listen to the faculty," said Kreller, the longest tenured principal in Ellis County.
Coakley is a quick learner.
"To rely on the faculty and staff; they know what they're doing," Coakley said of things he learned this past year. "Trust their experience, trust their wisdom."
Simon, although new to the role of principal, has 14 years experience in education. And she has relied on that knowledge the past few weeks.
"Patience," she said with a laugh when asked what she has learned since coming to Holy Family in July. "And that not everybody sees things the same way. That's going to be the key: Listen to what people are saying."
Kreller said he heard a quote several years ago from Fort Hays State University President Edward Hammond, one he thinks of often.
"He said that administration is a service function, and I always remembered that," Kreller said. "My job as an administrator is to make everyone's job as easy as I can."
Coakley he said he is ready to hit the ground running for his second year. Actually, he'll be doing more walking than running.
He has been slowed by illness since this summer when he returned to his native New York to visit his mother.
Coakley was diagnosed with pneumonia in New York and was hospitalized two different times with two blood clots in his left lung.
Coakley said he is supposed to take it easy for a while, and he doesn't think he'll have any problem following doctor's orders.
"I've been really tired and have to take it slow," Coakley said. "I know I'm not taking any vacations anytime soon."
That's because he's 0-for-2 in that category since this spring. He went to visit friends in San Diego over Easter break and got stung by a jellyfish.
"I'm going to play it safe and stay in the office from now on," he said.
Maybe so.
But he still has lots of big plans for the new school year, including the introduction of PowerSchool, a Web-based student management system used to record grades, courses and other school information from which parents also can access their child's grades.
One of the biggest changes in the daily routine last year was moving the traditional weekly Mass on Wednesday from the three local parishes back to campus, at Al Billinger Fieldhouse, for safety issues.
"We're trying to steer away from the 'That's-what-we've-always-done' attitude," he said. "Sometimes change is good. If we think it's better, let's at least try it."
The principals agreed there also are some don'ts to remember along the way.
"Don't ever ask someone to do something that you wouldn't be willing to do yourself," said Kreller, who has done his share of answering phones, moving chairs and carrying tables during the last three decades.
One night at an athletic event, Kreller was called upon to clean a toilet.
"There wasn't a custodian on duty, and somebody had to do it," he said. "So I rolled up my sleeves, put my gloves on and cleaned it up."
Reporter Diane Gasper-O'Brien can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 126, or by e-mail at dobrien@dailynews.net.
In session
Classes in other Ellis County schools begin next week, all Tuesday.
Hays High School will have a full day of school, while the elementary and middle schools in Hays USD 489 will have a half day of school.
In Ellis, all schools in USD 388, as well as St. Mary Elementary School, will begin with a half day Tuesday.
Principals listen, learn on the job
By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN
Hays Daily News
Thursday was the first full day of school for students at the two Catholic schools in Hays, as well as the public school in nearby Victoria.
The leaders of those schools have a wide range of experience at their respective jobs, from the veteran of the group in Victoria to a first-time principal in Hays.
Mike Kreller began his 23rd year as principal at Victoria High School like so many years before.
Denis Coakley is in just his second year as principal at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays.
And Jana Simon begins her debut as a principal as she takes over the reins at Holy Family Elementary School in Hays.
Victoria features a plethora of experience in administration.
Following Kreller in number of years as principals in USD 432 are David Ottley, in his 24th year at Victoria Elementary School, including eight as assistant principal or principal.
Kreller said each year is a learning experience for him as well as the students. And of all the things he has learned during the years, there is one that sticks out above all the rest -- to listen.
"Listen to the students, listen to the families, listen to the faculty," said Kreller, the longest tenured principal in Ellis County.
Coakley is a quick learner.
"To rely on the faculty and staff; they know what they're doing," Coakley said of things he learned this past year. "Trust their experience, trust their wisdom."
Simon, although new to the role of principal, has 14 years experience in education. And she has relied on that knowledge the past few weeks.
"Patience," she said with a laugh when asked what she has learned since coming to Holy Family in July. "And that not everybody sees things the same way. That's going to be the key: Listen to what people are saying."
Kreller said he heard a quote several years ago from Fort Hays State University President Edward Hammond, one he thinks of often.
"He said that administration is a service function, and I always remembered that," Kreller said. "My job as an administrator is to make everyone's job as easy as I can."
Coakley he said he is ready to hit the ground running for his second year. Actually, he'll be doing more walking than running.
He has been slowed by illness since this summer when he returned to his native New York to visit his mother.
Coakley was diagnosed with pneumonia in New York and was hospitalized two different times with two blood clots in his left lung.
Coakley said he is supposed to take it easy for a while, and he doesn't think he'll have any problem following doctor's orders.
"I've been really tired and have to take it slow," Coakley said. "I know I'm not taking any vacations anytime soon."
That's because he's 0-for-2 in that category since this spring. He went to visit friends in San Diego over Easter break and got stung by a jellyfish.
"I'm going to play it safe and stay in the office from now on," he said.
Maybe so.
But he still has lots of big plans for the new school year, including the introduction of PowerSchool, a Web-based student management system used to record grades, courses and other school information from which parents also can access their child's grades.
One of the biggest changes in the daily routine last year was moving the traditional weekly Mass on Wednesday from the three local parishes back to campus, at Al Billinger Fieldhouse, for safety issues.
"We're trying to steer away from the 'That's-what-we've-always-done' attitude," he said. "Sometimes change is good. If we think it's better, let's at least try it."
The principals agreed there also are some don'ts to remember along the way.
"Don't ever ask someone to do something that you wouldn't be willing to do yourself," said Kreller, who has done his share of answering phones, moving chairs and carrying tables during the last three decades.
One night at an athletic event, Kreller was called upon to clean a toilet.
"There wasn't a custodian on duty, and somebody had to do it," he said. "So I rolled up my sleeves, put my gloves on and cleaned it up."
Reporter Diane Gasper-O'Brien can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 126, or by e-mail at dobrien@dailynews.net.
In session
Classes in other Ellis County schools begin next week, all Tuesday.
Hays High School will have a full day of school, while the elementary and middle schools in Hays USD 489 will have a half day of school.
In Ellis, all schools in USD 388, as well as St. Mary Elementary School, will begin with a half day Tuesday.
