When the familiar (919) 967-0700 school number appeared on the phones of students and staff on the afternoon of Nov. 5, next came a very unfamiliar message. Principal Ken Proulx would be leaving East after three years in the role.
Since 2018 Proulx has served as the backbone of the school, his booming voice welcoming everyone in the morning announcement and greeting students on Freshman Hill at lunch.
As the process to choose a new principal nears its conclusion, students have participated in hiring discussions in order to discern who would be a good fit for East moving forward.
Proulx’s charisma and emphasis on student interaction were his defining characteristics, and many members of the East community say they hope his successor shares some of those qualities and values.
“A lot of what I’d like to see in a principal is what Mr. Proulx did a lot,” junior Zane Buckner said. “Interacting with the student body… Just being friendly and understanding, on a more personal level, I think that’s definitely the biggest thing.”
While many agree that Proulx’s skill at making personal connections with students was helpful, many say they felt that his administration didn’t do enough to communicate with students about relevant issues.
“I think a lot of the problems that we’ve had in the past couple of months have been very much caused by the fact that administration just refuses to communicate with students properly whenever there’s a major change being made,” senior Julia Smith said.
Many teachers share the belief that a good principal needs to be an effective communicator, someone who can consistently advocate and inform.
“I think teachers would like somebody who can be a good conduit between teachers at the school and people at the district level or the superintendent who can advocate for what we want to them,” history teacher Sam Atwood said. “And if they give them a directive for us, the principal is doing their best to make district or state initiatives easier for us to deal with.”
The district has been listening to feedback from PTSA and SIT (School Improvement Team) in order to find the right fit for East, and Superintendent Nyah Hamlett is conscious of the sort of principal the school needs.
“ECHHS is looking to hire someone who can connect with students,” Hamlett wrote in an email to the ECHO. “Help the school community balance high expectations and rigor with support, someone who can be a champion for teachers and students while also holding people accountable, and someone who will develop a culture of care while working to ensure that all students have the tools that they need to thrive.”
The search has been narrowed down to two candidates, and it appears that the process is approaching its end.
For seniors who’ve outlasted Proulx, some are indifferent to the administration change, while others just want to “see [the new principal] before we graduate.” Whatever the case, students and staff should expect to meet the new administration in the near future.
Photo by Hammond Cole Sherouse/The ECHO
