KAHLIA HEARON –

CV Student Media –  

Principals are known for being some of the most influential leaders in education all around the United States, and there are common ideas among student bodies relating to the traits of a great principal.

Students Cady Garrison and Wyatt Brammer both agree that a great principal should be “involved in school events and activities.” Garrison continues to say that  a great principal “needs to be present in what’s happening at the school.”

Castle View’s very own principal, Dr. James Calhoun, says that the formula for being a great leader is different for different people. His ideas reflected those of the aforementioned students when he said that, personally, a good leader “needs to think about people first…and trying to meet the needs of the people in the organization.”

Calhoun believes and has believed since his beginning in educational leadership that meeting the needs of the students begins with meeting the needs of the teachers of Castle View because “if [he’s] not meeting the needs of the teachers, they’re not meeting the needs of the students.”

Calhoun claims that a leader “needs to have a vision of where they’re going,” and in order to do this they must “have the ability to empower people to get to that point.” The principal’s philosophy is that giving people the freedom to find a way to reach that vision is much more effective than simply telling people exactly what to do to get there.

“We’re trained to sit around and have people tell us what to do. It starts in kindergarten and we’re told where to color, when to color, and how to color,” said Calhoun, “We need to be creative. We need to be able to solve our own problems.”