To the editor:

Because I am a Bainbridge Island School District educator, friends have been asking me recently, “What’s the deal? Why do we keep losing principals?”

Of course I do not know the answer to that any more than anyone else does, but having taught at Bainbridge High School for seventeen years, I have this perspective:

In my time at BHS, I have worked under five principals. Three of them were expected departures: two retired and one was filling an interim role. Two were unexpected departures, and they left for different reasons. It is unfortunate for the school community to have the unexpected turnover in recent years, but it is not a trend.

Still, it does prompt reflection. What is it we look for in an administrator? Here’s what the job looks like: on any given day, s/he is observing and evaluating teachers; providing feedback; meeting with students; meeting with parents who think there is not enough rigor and other parents who think there is too much; meeting with coaches and counselors; poring over data; supervising activities; confiscating illegal substances; the list goes on. “Do you have a sec?” and “Do you have just a minute?” we teachers and parents ask and, most often, the answer is “Yes.”

An administrator must consider the (sometimes conflicting) needs and desires of a wide variety of stakeholders: students, parents, community members, the school board, etc. Added to that are state and federal mandates, as well as very real budget constraints. Taking on the job means not just dedicating the necessary time to get everything done and supervise activities; it also means abiding with a great deal of tension under a great deal of scrutiny.

Despite their differences, all five of the head principals I’ve worked with here on Bainbridge had one thing in common: an absolute dedication to students’ well-being and education. I don’t mean to put a halo on the position or the individuals who have taken it on, but I do see firsthand the hard work and dedication that each principal has brought to our school.

We live in a community that values kids and educators; as a parent and teacher, I’m thankful for that. The focus on schools is almost always a positive (shout out to Bainbridge Schools Foundatiojn, PTSO, and the amazing dedication of volunteers).

There is a flip side, which is the intense scrutiny. For example, I was having dinner at a restaurant with my daughter last week and the adults at the table next to us were having an extended conversation about my colleagues and the pros and cons of their teaching styles. Those conversations are bound to happen — hopefully, mostly in private — but I hope to model for my kids that when we do talk about, or post about, individuals we do so thoughtfully and with compassion, and consider how they would feel if they were listening.

Ours is a small community. It’s important to both welcome and give space to each other, including our most visible members. Our pediatrician needs to be able to attend a performance without being asked about a symptom; our administrators need to be able to attend their own kids’ events without being lobbied. (Sorry, elementary school teachers, you will always be mobbed by your darling students every time they see you out of your home, er, classroom.)

With good leadership, the work of educators, and the support and investment from our community, we have made a lot of progress at BHS over the past few years. I am grateful for Mr. Fish and his work. I hope that our next principal is with us for many years and I thank him/her in advance for taking on the task.

KIRRIN COLEMAN

Bainbridge Island