Principal Ralph Crame announced that he will be stepping down at the end of the semester in an email sent to the student body on Nov. 10.
After 15 years at Carlmont and seven years as principal, Crame will be leaving behind a large hole in the school community. Whoever fills his position must be prepared to meet and exceed the standards he has left behind. The Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) Superintendent Darnise Williams will be selecting an interim principal for next semester before an official replacement is announced for the 2022-23 school year.
In his email, Crame singled out working with the student body as the most rewarding part of the past 15 years.
“You have impressed me from the moment I started working here in 2007 with your level of excellence in and out of the classroom. I have truly enjoyed all of the performing arts shows, as well as seeing you compete on the athletic teams. We have overcome many challenges and celebrated even more successes over the years,” Crame said.
Crame’s emphasis on holding the student body at the core of Carlmont’s priorities should be passed on to the future principal. Far too often, school administrations fail to do an adequate job of communicating issues, decisions, and reasoning to the student body, leaving many frustrated and with the belief that their opinions and wishes are not being heard.
Although Crame can be spotted in the hallways or in the backdrop of classes, his presence often eludes students, where some only hear from him once every seven days in his weekly email. The selection of a new principal represents the opportunity to address this lack of open dialogue between the administration and students.
A school is an institution for learning, and the people being educated should be placed at the center of attention. If there is a significant disconnect between the policies set in place and the needs of a school’s students, that can inadvertently impact their education. Students need to feel heard and helped.
Crame and the administration often did do a lot of listening, but it’s important to continue upholding that ideal to make sure that student perspectives do not fall on deaf ears. Listening to issues is only half of the solution; students want to see their ideas been absorbed and used to create change at Carlmont. Whether it’s by organizing forums to hear student opinions or looking into rules which may not reflect Carlmont’s mission, the student body wants to welcome in a new principal that is open to listening to their concerns and will take steps to address them.
*This article reflects the views of the editorial staff and was written by Kaylene Lin.
