Admin Corner: Insights from the Office
Photo from Hamilton School District.
Kennedy Ellis
With the beginning of the school year, there are many new changes taking place at Hamilton High School. Whether it is the new phone policies, the new pass system, or even just the new environment we are experiencing coming back from summer, it can be very overwhelming. Amidst all of the new adjustments to the school year, a new change we are all aware of is the new administration in the front office. This new school year brings a new principal, two new associate principals, and a new athletic and activities director. Given all of the changes, Charger Press wanted to provide an opportunity for administration to have a way to connect with the students and share some information. This is the first of a monthly article that will take place in order for the HHS admin to be able to communicate with the students how they are feeling on certain topics or things they would like to address.
To start off this series, we interviewed Hamilton High School's new principal, Mr. Bauer. Mr. Bauer was able to speak on some topics that are currently prevalent in Hamilton and was able to share not only behind the scenes of what goes on, but also the “why" for some of the new changes.
With many new changes, Mr. Bauer admits, “It’s actually kind of hard to keep up at times.” Students may have the perception that they are bombarded by the changes, but Bauer frames all of the new policies and practices by stating, “We have a team that is really driven to make this the best place possible.” He reiterated that these new changes are being set in place in order to help Hamilton students be their most successful and that understanding the rationale behind the changes can lead to a greater understanding.
Prominent on the minds of many Hamilton students are the changes to the phone policy, with phones being collected every class (including Focus) and advisement, as well as no earbuds/headphones during class. Bauer shared a story during the interview on different comments and concerns he has received due to the new change set into place this year. He shared that a student came up to him and asked if he had received her email. Not remembering what it was, she shared that it was about the new phone policy and how there is research on how listening to music can help you focus. Bauer shared this anecdote to show how he is “open to having a discussion on this and possibly changing our stance on it, but it’s going to be a conversation, not just a quick change.” Though he mentioned that phone caddies are not going away, Bauer continued to say how in most situations this is how he operates–hearing concerns and continuing the conversation.
While the new phone policy has led to a variety of strong student opinions, Bauer goes into depth about the reasoning behind it, stating, “the intent behind that was not to take away your life lines, but to increase focus.” Throughout the interview, he described the significant time and research that went into developing this policy and how it was only set in place to help benefit the learning and school experience of the students. He referenced the studies that link phone use with negative mental health, noting the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. With Bauer and the rest of the admin wanting to make Hamilton the best school it can be, one of those aspects is the human interaction that takes place at Hamilton. Bauer states, “I really believe in the importance and the benefit of human interaction, and you can't duplicate that with technology.” Also noting that it is much easier to be unkind behind a screen, Bauer emphasized his desire to have Hamilton be a kind place, showing his belief that removing phones is going to have great benefits to the high school community.
Another prominent change this year is the large change in staff. In addition to the many new administrators and teachers here, this includes a new athletic director, which Mr. Newcomer (no relation to former Hamilton Principal Mrs. Newcomer) took the honor of stepping in for. Ms. Goike and Mr. Doyle also came in as Associate Principals to help assist Principal Bauer. With so many of the administrators being new, Bauer acknowledged that there are a few obstacles to overcome, but states how he has been very grateful for the administrative assistants and how they have been lifesavers.
As we enter the second week of school, Bauer and the admin team are very excited for the potential of the upcoming year. One of their goals as a team is to be present and visible to students and teachers, making them accessible for conversations and a vital part of the community. Bauer stated how he is very excited to be here and that there is a lot of potential at Hamilton, comparing it to a “sleeping giant.” Bauer acknowledged that Hamilton is already doing great things, but states, “I also know that we can be better,” showing how great things are planned for Hamilton not only in this upcoming school year but for the years to come after that.
Bauer closed his interview by stating, “I want to work with all the students, staff, community to awaken this sleeping giant and whether it's academics, whether it's athletics and activities, or whether it's just citizenship. I don’t see any reason why Hamilton High School can’t be the premier high school in Wisconsin.”
