A new day has arrived at Corbett Junior High School, and with it, a new batch of issues. Budget papers needing signing, advisory meetings, and on top of that, paperwork. But who does all of this work, daily, 360 days a year, as well as dealing with our irresponsible students? Who is brave enough to take on the load? The answer: our amazing principal, Mr. Ray!

The Stress bug

Stress is a fact of life for a principal, be it as a mediator, leader, or even by balancing family and work. Some days are lifting you up, others dragging you down. The trick is finding a ledge to hold on to, a safe point to step away from it all. So what is it that helps Mr. Ray?

“Things like meditation, music, painting,especially physical exercise, these are all things that relieve stress. It’s different for everyone, but sometimes taking a short break, two or three minutes, can do wonders to the mind AND body,” said a psychiatrist.

The Job Description

A principal’s job is 24/7, because a principal is always thinking about the school, and balancing that and the students and faculty inside of it. A principal handles all of the major decisions, and follows instructions of the district leaders. A principal’s life is a job for a leader and a smart decision maker, and Mr. Ray is both.

“I think I’m doing a fair job, not a good job. I’m continuously trying to learn and adapt to this job,” states Mr. Ray.

Choices

A job worth doing is a job well done, as the saying goes. If it feels right, then go with it. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to know what the right decision is, especially if you have no idea what the last principal had done. But so far, Mr. Ray has done an excellent job at doing the right thing, and that’s what counts.

“When I came in, I didn’t know what had been put in place by the previous staff. I had to put up structure and foundation based upon what I know,” he said.

The Job Description, Take Two

A principal’s job is to not only supervise, but also make sure the students’ futures are shaped for success, by helping the student body in every way humanely possible. Sometimes, though, a principle’s job goes a lot deeper than that. A principal must create a climate hospitable for students AND teachers, build responsibility in students AND teachers (as well as in himself), improve on learning in schools, manage people, data, and processes, and must always keep their school in prestigious, well-oiled condition. Sounds like a lot, right? Well, you be crazy if it didn’t!

When asked what one word he would use to describe his job, however, Mr. Ray  stated two: Challenging, but also fun. “It’s challenging because there’s so much to do, but I love what I do. I love to see interactions between students and teachers, and I love to see students grow. I think it’s because I feel sort of responsible for them.”

End Words

In short, a principal’s job is a hard one. You have to balance work and home, manage students and faculty, keep the school in check, and perform daily tasks from dawn ‘till dusk, and then repeat everything the next day for the entire school year, and every day has a new problem or hassle to work through. But as the saying goes, nothing good comes easy. And the feeling you get from knowing that everything you do brings students one step closer to a brighter and better future- priceless. It takes not just a leader, but a problem solver, a decision maker, and most importantly, a responsible, trustworthy, respectful, honest, and kind person to be a principal. And I think I speak for everyone when I say Mr. Ray is a true principal.