October 02, 2008

G.I. Public Schools hosts Principal for a Day¨ for third year

Local business and community leaders will follow the footsteps of Grand Island Public Schools administrators on Tuesday, Oct. 7, when they participate in the Principal for a Day program at 16 schools.

The school district launched its first Principal for a Day¨ in 2006, becoming another participant in the nationwide program. Principal for a Day is sponsored by PENCIL -- Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning. The purpose of Principal for a Day is to allow community leaders to experience a day in the life of a public school principal.

Eighteen people will participate in Principal for a Day on Oct. 7, and each participant is assigned to a school. Participants are: Shanie Bockmann, Hall County Leadership Unlimited; Carroll Brown, District No. 8 Probation Office; D.J. Eihusen, Chief Industries; Capt. Robert Falldorf, Grand Island Police Department; Maria Flores, Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce; Brad Fossberg, G.I. Family Radio; Heather Fox, Principal Financial Group; Mike Gloor, retired chief executive officer of St. Francis Medical Center and a candidate for the Legislature; Troy Hughes, Grand Island Fire Department; Dana Jelinek, Grand Island Area Habitat for Humanity; Rev. Scott Jones, Third City Christian Church; Jay Judds, Milner, Neuhaus, & Judds law firm; Steve Kunzman, Home Federal Bank; Jennifer Larson, Grand Island YWCA; Scott Moore, Evangelical Free Church; Tracy Overstreet, Grand Island Independent; Jeff Pederson, City of Grand Island; and Karen Rathke, Heartland United Way.

Grand Island's participants will share their talent with students and staff members while they are at schools on Oct. 7. For instance, Dana Jelinek with Habitat for Humanity will read books to kindergarten students at Lincoln Elementary School and will talk to fifth-grade students about her job. Chief Probation Officer Carroll Brown will explain what a probation officer does to fourth-grade students at Jefferson Elementary School.

The Grand Island participants will report to their assigned schools at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 7. Each principal has developed a personalized schedule for a Principal for a Day. Participants will be involved in activities such as classroom observations and walk-throughs, lunchroom supervision, making schoolwide announcements, reading to students, or visiting specialized programs. All participants will attend a meeting from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Kneale Administration Building to hear an overview of the school district, to discuss their experiences, and to ask questions.

Members of the local Principal for a Day planning committee are: principals Jeff Gilbertson, Carrie Kolar, Kent Mann, and Brad Wentzlaff; Board of Education members Lynn Cronk and Jennifer Worthington; and Carol Bryant, public relations coordinator.
Principal for a Day was started in the New York City public schools in 1994, and PENCIL was formed in 1995 to coordinate efforts stemming from New York City's initial Principal for a Day  program. PENCIL's mission is to galvanize and coordinate meaningful civic involvement in New York City public schools to improve student achievement. "Principal for a Day" is a trademark of PENCIL, Inc.

For more information, contact:
*Carol Bryant, public relations coordinator, Grand Island Public Schools, (308) 385-5900, cbryant@gips.org