Learning experience for new "Principals"

Plymouth graduate Nick Chaney returned to school with PHS Assistant Principal Andrew Hartley

PLYMOUTH – It was back to school for some area residents Friday as they had the opportunity to experience life as “Principal for the Day” at the Plymouth Schools.

Ten area residents from varying career backgrounds had an opportunity to spend the morning with the various Principals of the Plymouth School Corporation seeing exactly what their job entails. For nearly all it was “...an eye opening experience.”

“I knew there would be technology but I had no idea,” said Jim Bottorff of WTCA-AM 1050 who shadowed Plymouth High School Principal Jim Condon for the morning. “He (Condon) was in the hallway, talking to kids, calling them all by their first name. When I was in school that didn't happen. When I was in school you only saw the Principal when something bad was about to go down.”

“It was really something to see the positivity of the kids as they came in the building – smiling, high fiving teachers – just really seeming genuinely excited to be there,” said Ryan Jessen of PNC Bank and the new Head of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce who was with Menominee Principal Michael Dunn. “We even had two disciplinary episodes in the morning but it was all dealt with in a very positive manner.”

Local emergency personnel will likely get a positive report from Jim Strong of the Indiana State Police who had the Plymouth Fire Department show up for a drill at Webster where he was working with Principal Carrie McGuire.

“I'm used to that kind of thing I guess but I was very amazed and happy,” said Strong. “Almost immediately I saw teachers walking around with signs held in the air and I noticed the colors of them but then I saw the words 'all students accounted for'. They had kids all over that building in various programs and doing special work in other places but they made sure they accounted for every one in an emergency situation. That can't be easy. As the parent of a first grader that makes me feel good.”

The way students work in the schools was also enlightening to those who spent the morning. In addition to technology – a given in today's society – all were amazed at how students learned in the schools.

“It's really like every student has their own individualized learning plan,” said Gina Young of the Plymouth Park Department who spent her day with Bob Remenih Principal at Jefferson. “Teachers were able to intervene with students that may have needed a little help or take a few aside because they were ahead of everybody and the class never missed a beat they just kept right on going. It was really like every single kid has their own specialized learning plan.”

“You know this was all real and not just a put on for today,” said Nick Chaney of U.S. Granules who was with Andrew Hartley, Assistant Principal at PHS. “The kids went on with class with the Principal there with no disruption at all. If it had been just a one day thing everybody would have been looking around to see what was going on. It's obvious that kids are used to the principals being in their classrooms every day.”

The program is began under Governor Orr and has continued at Plymouth as an important one according to Superintendent Dan Tyree.

“Its very important for schools to connect and interact with the communities that they exist in,” he said. “Parents are such a vital part of the education process and giving them ways to be involved with that is an important part of learning.”