I first met Mr.Daher over the summer at a student council meeting he scheduled. I didn’t know what to expect as I walked into the library. The second I got there the principal knew my name and introduced himself. Since then, he has managed to remember my name, as well as almost every other student at Hopewell.

This small sense of importance reflects upon the personality of our new principal, Mr.Daher.

Many of you have probably already seen Mr.Daher roaming the hallways of Hopewell Valley. He is our new principal, and seems to bring a new approach to the valley. Despite his high position, Mr. Daher is in fact down to earth, and a genuinely nice man. Hopewell has experienced three new principals in the last four years, so a new fresh start is exactly what this school is looking for.

Some might wonder how Mr.Daher heard about Hopewell and why he decided to take the position. “I did a little research when I first heard of the position at Hopewell. My research was through a friend of mine who was a high school principal in another district and was a Hopewell graduate. So I got some inside information…”.

After his first few weeks, Mr.Daher had nothing but nice things to say about the staff and students at Hopewell Valley. “…I found the students to be very open, very friendly, very bright, especially engaging.” Mr.Daher knew that his job would be a tough one, but he approaches it with a positive attitude. He believes that in order to make a difference, one must listen and try to connect with people. He is a strong believer in being visible, which is definitely seen as he speaks with students in the hallways.

In the past, there have been issues with school events and the pep rallies. A big test for Mr.Daher was his approach to the conflicts related to the Welcome Back Dance. Everyone was curious to see how he was going to help make it a success. “I listened to what the students said, I listened to what their concerns were…”. Mr.Daher takes a positive student perspective, and through this, the event was clearly a success.

As a die hard Eagles fan, and a huge movie buff, Mr.Daher enjoys family time as well as involvement with students. He is seen at the sports games, and is an active member in the student council and other student based programs and clubs.

After interviewing him, I learned that he enjoys Hopewell, and wouldn’t change a single thing about it. With his new approach, we should see a positive year at Hopewell Valley.