This year, several staff members stepped into new roles at school, taking on fresh challenges and responsibilities.
Alex Kocher, formerly a social studies and P.E. teacher, transitioned to the role of attendance dean.
“It was a unique opportunity, and I thought what better time to take it than now,” Kocher said.
While the change has been “chaotic” at times, she’s discovered unexpected rewards. Moving from a classroom to a school-wide role brings more data to track and more students to manage, along with sore feet from being on the move all day.
“It’s a lot more data collecting… and having to know different things about the school,” she explained.
Kocher’s main goal this year is straightforward: get students to class on time and improve overall attendance. Even small successes are meaningful to her.
“Hearing that teachers have noticed an improvement… it’s not perfect, but there’s still a lot of work to do,” she said.
Kocher hopes her work encourages students to focus on learning while still enjoying the social side of school. “School is very social, but there’s a time and place for that. I want students to put focus on what is important,” she added.
Meanwhile, Ayanna Williams, now the assistant principal for 12th grade, experienced a different kind of transition. Unlike Kocher, her move wasn’t entirely her choice—it was based on school needs and staffing changes.
“It really is where the need is,” Williams said. With her previous experience with the same students as sophomores, she’s found the shift rewarding. “I’m already familiar with them, so I don’t feel like I’m starting from the beginning,” she said.
One of the biggest differences Williams has noticed is the maturity of her students. Seniors are “so much more chill… they’re happy, they’re ready to graduate,” she explained.
Her goals this year center on preparing students for life after high school and helping them make the most of their final year.
“It’s not only about graduation, but how they go off into the community… it’s a full-circle type of thing,” she said. Williams also reflected on the challenges of her role, noting that it can be difficult to anticipate every issue. “There are just things that you don’t know. I take what I do very seriously, and I don’t want to leave anyone on the wrong path,” she said.
For JT Owens, stepping into a new role has been about broadening his impact.
“I was just looking to find another role in which I could have a bigger impact in the school township, and I think this kind of fits my background,” Owens explained.
While learning the demands of the job has been challenging, the rewards have outweighed the difficulties.
“It’s been really rewarding actually meeting or seeing all the kids that are in athletics that I didn’t have relationships with before, but also seeing the kids that know me from my old role saying, ‘Hey, we haven’t seen you for a while, we were wondering where you have been.’”
Owens hopes to help students create meaningful memories while preparing for the future.
“My goal for the students is just to live the best high school experience that they can… to have fun, to grow, but also learn and become better people in order to serve others,” he said.
Having once been a student here himself, Owens sees his new position as a way to give back.
“I love this place. I came to school here, came back here and worked several times, and now I’m in a position of great responsibility. I think this is one of the best places to be,” he said.
