#1StudentNWI: LaCrosse Welcomes New Principal

#1StudentNWI: LaCrosse Welcomes New Principal

LaCrosse, although not as big as other schools, really captures a positive family atmosphere. Most, if not all, students know each other’s and the staff’s names. We see each other in the halls. We talk to teachers as if we are best friends. We stick together.

Our family is very open to new people, and we try to make sure that every new student is welcomed and feels like they belong here. Students transfer and find themselves in a group of friends in a matter of weeks. We talk to our classmates outside of class not because we are obligated to, but because we want to. That is why it is such a heartbreaking moment when a teacher or student leaves. When the new teacher arrives, it can be hard for some to adjust. Soon enough, though, they become a new member of the family, and the cycle repeats itself.

Our previous teachers were replaced with new faces, new ambitions, and new ideas. It can be hard to adjust to a new way of teaching, but both students and teachers seem to have settled in and made themselves comfortable.

With the leave of our art teacher, Mrs. Westerhoff, our band teacher, Mrs. Sharpe, and our biology teacher, Mrs. Stamper, came the arrival of Ms. Rushing, Mr. Blakeman, and Mr. Miller. These new teachers are dedicated to their jobs. There’s no telling what their classrooms will look like in two to three years, but it can only be a positive outcome. The experience they gain from working here will help them in teaching more effectively and growing as people.

Perhaps the most important change was the arrival of a new principal. LaCrosse was previously under the management of Tim Somers, who doubled as the principal and Tri-Township superintendent. Switching from one principal to the other was definitely something completely new, nothing short of a small change, but it also managed to shed a little light on how the school runs. Mr. Somers now works just as the superintendent. The school welcomed Mr. Aaron Owney to the principal’s chair at the beginning of the year, and he is now the metaphorical captain of this school’s ship. Before coming to LaCrosse, he was the athletic director at Kouts Schools. I sat down with him after lunch for a very brief interview.

Lacrosse-1Student-October-2016_02What are your plans for the future?
“Probably staying here. As long as everything works out well, everybody’s happy with what I’m doing here, I don’t have any plans to go anywhere. Maybe, possibly, go back to school and get my doctorate, but right now, I’m comfortable and happy where I’m at.”

What do you like about working at LaCrosse?
“I love the small, family-type of community atmosphere, the fact that I can learn every kid’s name, get to know them on a personal level. I like the small staff. I get to also work with them on a personal level. I’d say those are my favorite things about LaCrosse.”

What differences have you noticed in LaCrosse versus your previous school?
“It’s smaller, class sizes are smaller, we do a lot of dual credit and online classes that I’m not used to. That would probably be the biggest difference.”

What is one thing you hope to accomplish during your time as principal?
“I want to listen to what the students and staff want and hopefully change that and continue to make LaCrosse a place where students feel safe coming. I want to be able to grow, not necessarily in numbers, but in what we can offer to students, so anything that our students are aspiring to do, they can get a start at it so they are prepared for college or whatever they choose to do after high school.”

Lacrosse-1Student-October-2016_03 Some things have already started to change under Mr. Owney’s supervision. New this year is the Principal’s Advisory Committee, which is a hand-picked staff of students in the school who work closely with the principal to see that changes are made in the school that most benefit the students.

The students in the committee are anyone from freshmen to seniors and allow for a wide range of thoughts and opinions. The suggestions they make are tested and, if approved, put into effect. They meet once a month. The meetings are very unrestrained, with the students going through multiple issues and things that bother the people they have class with, as well as themselves.

Another change that came with his arrival was the layout of the school. A few rooms moved around and gained features. For instance, the main and nurse’s office now have a large screen television that broadcasts the camera feed. Directly across from this room is where Mr. Owney’s office now sits, as well as another office to the side of that.

Mr. Owney hopes to make changes that not only positively benefit the students but also the school. It is going to take a lot of work to get the school into a formidable shape, but I believe that Mr. Owney is already paving the path to that success. Starting small, the changes he hopes to see will probably reveal themselves further into the year.

Mr. Aaron Owney is shaping up to be a great principal. He plans to make a lot of changes and choices to most benefit the school, and has shown himself to be an approachable, down-to-earth person. LaCrosse needs someone who is willing to try new things, to approach failures with an open mind, and to work through them until they become successes. LaCrosse’s future seems very bright with him at the helm.

While I only have two years left at the school, I can’t wait to see how it is improved and how new and old students react to the improvements. Because, after all, we are all family, and we all care about each other. We want the best for one another.