KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
Monday and Tuesday were the first days of school for students in the Kodiak Island Borough School District, but also for several new administrators.
Long-time Kodiak math and science teacher Mel LeVan is now Kodiak High School principal.
He says he went around to all the different classrooms in the high school and shook students’ hands.
“I was dressed up in a KHS learn uniform, a hat that said KHS learn and blue Dickies overalls with Dr. Mel in gold above the pocket, and my goal was to personally exchange names with every student. I don’t think I accomplished that, but I came close.”
LeVan says he also dropped by the middle school, where he identified a common struggle.
“I did notice I think three sixth-graders that were very intent and red faced trying to open their lockers. They don’t lock their lockers in the high schools unfortunately.”
Melissa Haffeman is the new principal at the middle school, and is both a former Kodiak High School student and a former middle school assistant principal.
Like LeVan, she also has good reviews for the first days of school, partly due to some social networking online.
“Our sixth grade team does a wonderful job with a Facebook group for all sixth grade parents, so the students moving from elementary to middle school, that was pretty seamless. I did check in with them at lunchtime, asking how the first day went and at the end of the school [day], and I got smiles everywhere.”
She says one of the goals on the administrative side is to grow the parent-teacher association. Both she and LeVan say they encourage input from parents.
