What’s it like to be a middle school principal? Ask eighth-grader Jaya Edson. She recently shadowed Principal Wayne Bell for the day because she’s considering school administration as a potential career.
“When I was younger, I liked pretending to be a teacher,” Edson said. “I’ve thought about being a teacher or a principal, so I asked Mr. Bell if I could shadow him so I could see what I’d be doing.”
Edson said the experience was eye-opening. During the experience, Edson participated in meetings with Superintendent Stephen Tomlinson, Curriculum and Instruction Director Teresa LaFountain and Operations and Safety Director Mike Carney. She also worked with school counselors Jennifer Steele and Stephanie Hotaling, as well as conduct coordinator Greg Horning.
“I never realized how much Mr. Bell has to do, or how many emails he gets,” she said.
Bell said he allowed Edson to shadow him because she took it upon herself to ask. He said he’s watched Edson change dramatically since sixth grade and he’s proud of the positive path she’s taken.
“She’s thinking about what she wants to do after high school and taking the initiative to explore her interests,” Bell said.