Although the responsibilities of an administrator are countless, their efforts go unnoticed by many students.
The administrative staff regularly overcome new challenges in order to keep the school functioning smoothly. From looking after students to planning the new bell schedule, an optimistic perspective of their current situation is essential for the administrators to get their job done properly.
While they are commonly associated with the same goals, each member has their own responsibilities. Collectively, they oversee the logistics of many of the school’s events.
Grant Steunenberg and Gregg Patner are the assistant vice principals. While both of them focus on the students as a whole, Steunenberg also has his attention on the teacher’s supplies to provide proper education and run the classrooms efficiently.
You’re just a fireman putting out one fire after another … other days it’s more mundane where you’re just kind of taking care of just your basic paperwork and emails.
— Grant Steunenberg
Instructional Vice Principal Jennifer Cho focuses on the curriculum of the school. She helps with organizing standardized tests or project management. Additionally, she has to be in tune with the logistics of how an event would work out. When she hears about a new project, she will immediately know what goals she needs to accomplish.
“How are students going to perform well on standardized exams if it’s a total nightmare, it’s not organized well, or it’s not running smoothly … I help things run smoothly so that teachers don’t have to worry about those extra things; students have the best environment in order for everyone to perform their best,” Cho said.
While the previous administrative staff focused mainly on the school’s quality of education, Principal Ralph Crame concentrates not only on the students but also on the staff member’s well-being. He does this all while working alongside the district superintendent.
“It is a job where you have to be available pretty much 24 hours a day. Various things come up that may need an administrator’s help. That could be a water leak that occurs in the middle of the night to supervising dances and sporting events,” Crame said.
Although the job of the administrators seem tough, the environment under which they work in fuels their passion for the school, and it’s well-being.
“I like the fact that [being an administrator] is very diverse. There’s a lot of things going on in one day. Two days are never quite the same. There’s a lot of potential for good, and there are a lot of challenges,” Patner said.
Despite the challenges that come with being an administrator, they love to interact with many of the students. Even if it regards the school rules and it’s reinforcement, connecting with the students allows them to enjoy their passion for being an administrator.
“The challenge is to implement the rules that are focused around safety, but the fun part is just interacting with the student,” Steunenberg said.
Even though you might not often see the administrators around campus, they are always working behind the scenes to help out the school and its students. If you ever see them around, they will enjoy having a short conversation or hearing a friendly hello.
