Williams settles into principal post at CLPJH

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Brian Williams, who was appointed to the post of Cache La Poudre Junior High principal in January, has settled easily into the new position. A familiar face at CLPJH, Williams has taught, coached, counseled and served as assistant principal at the school for the past 19 years.

Williams is now in his 28th year as an educator, with 24 of those logged in at Poudre School District. Through the years he has taught science and physical education and has coached basketball, track and football. He and his family have lived in LaPorte on and off since 1976.

A Connecticut native, Williams graduated from college there and later earned a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Colorado State University.

According to Williams, CLPJH sets school goals as a team. This year, he and the teaching staff set three goals for the junior high: to train new staff in the Discovery Model, a behavior model that stressed respect and conflict resolution; to improve the writing model used at the school; and to close the achievement gap by reducing the number of failing grades. In regard to the third goal, Williams and others visited a Texas school in late March that has been particularly successful in raising achievement levels.

The new principal also wants to find ways to get students more involved, so they feel connected and proud of the school. The school needs to offer a variety of ways to be involved, Williams said, from academic work to sports to helping with the landscaping.

The biggest overall challenge, Williams said, is, "How do we get kids enthusiastic about school?" In that regard, he noted, schools need to provide more options for students.

"Now, the push is to prepare everyone for college," he said, noting that only 20 percent of young people actually graduate from college. "The vocational aspect of school also needs to be looked at." He noted that in Connecticut, the state offers vocational high schools, with rigorous admissions standards, as an alternative.

CSAP tests were given at CLPJH in late March, but Williams said he does not believe in putting too much emphasis on the tests. "Our philosophy," he said, "is that if everyone does his or her job, the CSAP will take care of itself. There is a lot more to schools than testing, and what goes on every single day is a more telling than one test."

This May, Williams and his staff will sit down to define the school's goals for next year. Chances are they will involve both achievement and involvement for all students, not just those at the top and bottom of the academic ladder.