Some people think administrators such as vice principals and principals were just born into their jobs, but everyone needs to start somewhere. Administrators began as teachers like everyone else in the building. They worked their way up the ladder from student, to teacher, to administrator. Climbing that proverbial ladder takes time and energy, but most of all, it takes dedication. To be an administrator you must love the children in the school and want what is best for them. Every administrator, including ours, has a background.

Superintendent Dr. Ronald White, who has been in the education system for 43 years, knows a thing or two about dedication and how important administrators can be to students. Before working his way into administration, Dr. White taugh Spanish and P.E. But before that, he learned the valuable lesson an administrator’s dedication to one student can shape what that student grows up to be. Dr.White said, “I grew up very poor, and I probably would not have gone to college without teachers helping me find money to go to college. So all those years in my own mind I wanted to become a teacher to help other children go to college.” 

On the next rung of the administrative ladder are the Principals in our District. CHS Principal Mr. Don Gerber  taught Industrial Arts at Excelsior Springs before the question of being principal came up. “I taught for about 18 years,” said Mr.Gerber. Teaching is very different from being an administrator, and as Mr.Gerber can tell you, there are things to miss. He said “I enjoy the administrative part of dealing with the kids, parents, and teachers, butI miss being in the room with the kids. I got into this job to be with the kids; at heart, I’m their biggest fan.” 

To have a strong principal you need a great vice-principal to back him up. Vice-Principal Mr. Scott Archibald is just the man for the job.  Holding five degrees and having taught for 7 years, Mr. Archibald has been the CHS Vice Principal for 6 years, but before being vice principal what did he do?

Mr.Archibald said, “Before I came here I taught P.E. and ran I.S.S. (in-school suspension).” There is a reason administrators teach before going to the position they currently reside in. Teaching and coaching gives you much needed experience. He said “ I don’t know if teaching helped prepare me (for vice principal) so much as coaching did. There are a lot of things you take from a team that you use for students in the building.”

All the schools in the system are exactly like a team and in that team you have to have the middle school principal and vice principal. Ours consist of CMS Principal Mr. Jay Albright and Vice-Principal Mr. Dave Brown. Mr. Albright was a band director at Cameron before moving to vice-principal, then principal. While Mr. Albright misses the interaction with the children, he also likes being principal.“It’s very exciting as an administrator to be able to look at the kids’ education as a whole. It’s quite a challenge, but I’m the kind of of person who likes a big challenge.”

Vice-Principal, another challenging job, is held by Mr.Brown. Mr. Brown, formerly an adaptive physical education teacher, understands a challenge when he sees one. In his 23 years of teaching he knows just how important getting to know the children is. Even though he  is with all the kids every day, there is still some missed interaction. He said “I miss getting to know all the kids on a better basis. I don’t get to see a lot of kids.”

Kids are one thing Cameron’s Parkview Elementary School has no shortage of, as Principal Mr. Clark Dauner and Vice-Principal Ms. Rush can tell you. Mr. Dauner, a former fifth grade teacher, can see how important all the subjects are. “We work as a team, but I also get to see the big picture. I get to see the building’s vision.”

In that vision, there is always Parkview Vice-Principal Ms. Rush. Ms. Rush was a fifth and sixth grade teacher and a principal before becoming vice-principal. She also coached varsity girls basketball and softball. Being a coach helps in many things including being vice principal. “A coach is a motivator. Part of this job is you motivate students and you motivate staff. I think being a coach helped me prepare for this job”

Another administrator, and coach, is Director of Turning Point (the alternative school), Mr.Chad Snyder. Mr.Snyder has  taught in many positions including kindergarten and adaptive p.e. He is dedicated to his students and his biggest concern is their safety. No one can ask for more than that.

Whether they were once a fifth grade teacher or an industrial arts teacher, you can tell all of Cameron’s administration are dedicated to their students and staff. Being an administrator is much more than being just a supervisor. All of Cameron’s administrators are hard working and must be determined to do the best they can. They also love the children, which some say is the most important trait of all.