Principal for a Day
<p>From helping kids off the bus to assisting with lunch duty, Durham’s business and community leaders learned what it takes to be a principal on Tuesday, February 8.<br /><br />Durham Public Schools hosted Principal for a Day, a program designed to build long-term partnerships between businesses and schools.<br /><br />Members of the Superintendent’s Business Advisory Council and several elected officials spent a half day at school with a DPS principal. Guests were provided the opportunity to learn more about the successes and challenges of a principal and discover ways to get more involved.<br /><br />“We have every reason to be proud of all of our principals,” said Jim Bressler of Washington Duke Inn who visited Club Boulevard Elementary. “They wear lots of different hats. In addition to being a principal, they are mothers and fathers to our children.”<br /><br />Stephanie McLean, of McLean Image Works, visited the J.D. Clement Early College High School and Principal Kendra O’Neal-Williams. McLean thought the experience was terrific.<br /><br />“I saw Kendra go from caretaker to champion in one breath – someone who relates to students but is a leader,” McLean said.<br /><br />Principals also enjoyed the experience. O’Neal-Williams said, “If you don’t do this every day, I can see how easy it is to drive by the schools and not do anything…but we appreciate the community coming in to see how they can help.”<br /><br />Some of the activities for the day included a campus tour, greeting parents and students, reading the morning announcements, sitting in on classes and even taking a turn on lunch duty.<br /><br />The event was capped with a luncheon provided by Skanska, providing all involved an opportunity to share their stories and discuss ways they can form beneficial partnerships.</p>
