Research Based: The Main Office

A high school is most commonly run like a factory. There are bell schedules to follow; there are penalties for tardiness and absences. It should be strict and controlled. We have teachers, lunch ladies, librarians and even security guards to make sure Ridgefield Public Schools stay under s reasonable level of control. Besides correcting students on their mishaps, what does the administration do? Out of the students I interviewed none of them could even say that they knew our principle. They all focus on the bad things that administration does. This blame is usually put on the principal.
Dr. Lindsay is the current principal at Ridgefield High School. She had been here for almost three years now and has been busy making changes throughout her time here. Why is it that most student shave a negative perception of her? When asked if she was running the school well a student said “not at all, she’s restricting students, and we won’t prosper if the administration doesn’t trust us.” No one seems to understand her goals and accomplishments at the high school thus far and students continue to black list her rather than give her a chance. On the subject of class colors Dr Lindsay only had negative things to say. They we abolished three years ago when Dr. Ellis was still the principal and there were no objections. When Dr. Lindsay came into power most people opposed the changes and took their blame to her. “It’s sexist that I am being blamed for the changes a man made three years ago” says Dr. Lindsay. “It [colors] degrades freshman and puts seniors in a higher place than they deserve.” She wasn’t soft spoken on the subject.
Going back to administration in general, most of the students at Ridgefield High school have no idea what administration does for the school or what goes on inside the office. When students were questioned on what the administration does their responses were all similar, “they do things for us?”. No one seems to understand what goes on because everyone is on schedule. We get up, come to school, go to our classes and go home. Most students haven’t even tried to ever get involved, we go into high school and we get out as soon as possible. There is no room to go explore the office or go ask the principal questions. The board of ed is on the other side of town so we can’t go ask them what they do. Why aren’t students informed?
Across the country the student-to-principal relationships are dwindling. When I was growing up watched shows like Saved By The Bell. Most of these scenes are in a high school and involve the student’s principal, Mr. Belding. All the students know him and he knows the students. I think that a principal’s job has become too serious these days and it should be of their main concern to know their students. A leader doesn’t govern people he/she doesn’t know or understand, they get to know the public some and then lead. Our school is being led without a public vote.
I sat down to an interview with my school principal Dr. Lindsay. She has been at the high school as long as I have. I had to introduce myself to her and tell her what I was doing before I began. I didn’t expect her to know my name, but it would have been nice. As a principal Dr. Lindsay says her main purpose “is to create an environment of greater independence.” This idea is obviously different than mine. She wants to create a name for Ridgefield High school that colleges will recognize and know. She wants to make us something great. I support that but I think she needs the student body on her side first. When asked, most students said they don’t feel like they have a voice at our school and if they wanted on they could have to work hard for it. Most students also agreed the problems with the school must be controlled and ended before we can make such improvements. A lot of the students fear a drug problem that has swept over that Dr. Lindsay has yet to strictly address. It seems to be something that is swept under the rug and ignored. A student arrested for drugs will get a minor penalty and community service. I’ve seen it before, but what’s stopping them from going right back to drugs? I think this is a major problem at our school that should be at the top of the list for things to be addressed.
So does anyone know what administration does besides deal with money and colleges? I still don’t and my time spent researching this topic gave me a little bit more of an idea, but I still feel like there should be more. With a huge main office and tons of technology and new equipment, what do they do down there all day? We may never know.