In August, as I was cleaning up my office in anticipation of a new year, I came across a book called “Advice for a New Principal” that was given to me by my last class as a teacher at ACS. It was written by the students from 2A in 2020.

Although it’s my third year as principal, in many ways, this feels like a new job. For the first time, communicable disease policies and practices haven’t stood in the way of our hopes and dreams for learning in community. It’s been wonderful to welcome parents back to campus, return to campus wide chapels, see teachers enjoying lunch together in the staff room, and so much more.

Here is some of the excellent advice they gave me in this book:

  1. Greet kids in the morning.
  2. Keep kids safe.
  3. Wear funny accessories.
  4. Pray to Jesus.
  5. Be kind to your students and the teachers.
  6. NO wild animals allowed.
  7. Go outside and play with kids at recess.
  8. Read a book to a class every day.
  9. Give candy away.
  10. Play with LEGO.
  11. Tell “Friday Funnies” jokes over the P.A.
  12. Pajama day every Tuesday.
  13. Don’t yell when kids are in trouble.
  14. (Put)gumball machines in the hallway.
  15. Make every class learn about animals.
  16. Every day = nap time. 😴
  17. Do a funny dance at the fire drill.
  18. Say “you can do whatever you want.”
  19. Say “hi” to a class and stay a while.
  20. Wear pink on Mondays.

In June, I wished that group of students farewell as they ended their time at the elementary campus and headed off to grade 5 at our middle school campus. While those grade 2 students didn’t get much of a “normal” elementary school experience for a few years, I think they’d love to know that I have taken their suggestions to heart and look forward to trying more of their ideas and hearing about other ways to serve the students at ACS well.