The recent news of Principal Benton’s resignation at the end of the year has prompted conversations about what we as a community hope to see from the new principal. The Lions Roar Now staff has composed a list of characteristics and objectives that we hope the new principal will fulfill.
This is not a criticism of our current administration but rather a jumping-off point for aligning the new head of the school with the interests of the student body. As a staff, we encourage all students to express interest in being a part of the hiring process.
Connection/support for minorities: Although Littleton is home to a diverse student body, the lack of diversity among staff members can often leave marginalized students feeling underserved. We hope that our new principal celebrates students from all backgrounds and intends to establish support systems for minority students.
Open to working with students: Oftentimes, it can feel like administrators operate completely separately from students. By allowing students to communicate with administration, we can ensure that the concerns of the students are adequately addressed. Doing this would also make students feel more comfortable around the principal. A strong relationship between the new principal and the student body would ground the administration in the realities of student life rather than relegating them to a position removed from student issues.
High energy: Students feel excited when our principal is excited. Although our staff has strong school spirit, maintaining an energized attitude and high energy is a different story. Excitement about pep rallies, school dances, and even just typical schooldays will boost student morale.
Seminar reform: We want a principal that has new ideas for how to approach Seminar. We feel that Seminar is often an obstacle to a productive school day and we want a principal that intends to use this valuable time for activities that will improve the social-emotional health of the school as a whole.
Teacher accountability: The lack of standards for class productivity and teacher curricula can leave students feeling underserved. Students hold the belief that since their teacher is supposed to be the authority on their education in that class, they can’t give any feedback on improvements they would like to see in their education. Stricter regulation of daily class activities would keep teachers on staff and students on track to meet all academic standards by the end of the year.
Tech-savvy: Difficulties with technology are commonplace at Littleton. We don’t expect that our new principal will know every little detail about the glitches and malfunctions that affect our school technology, but rather that they can proficiently use our technology. Additionally, openness to criticism of our technology (especially our school Chromebooks) would be appreciated, even if immediate solutions aren’t achievable.
Overall, our expectations are that our new principal will embrace the Littleton community with open arms. The tumultuous ups and downs of the past three years have revealed areas for growth throughout the school. We hope that this hiring process will be an opportunity for student input. Because a united Littleton will serve us all.
