House takes on role as principal of new elementary school

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

House had been the principal at Plum Point Elementary School for the past nine years. Prior to that, she opened St. Leonard Elementary School in 1996. She has been a teacher in four different counties on top of her administrative work.

‘‘Teaching in four different counties gives me an appreciation for how lucky we are to be in Calvert County teaching,” she said.

House has been working side by side with her new staff including secretaries, support staff, teachers and newly elected members of the new Parent Teachers Association to make sure when the first day of school arrives, everything goes as smoothly as possible for students.

According to House, students from four different schools will attend the new elementary school.

The opening of the new school has brought heated controversy in regards to redistricting to fill the school. Several parents have come together to fight the school board on its decision back in March on which districts would be redistricted to the new school and surrounding schools. Despite these speed bumps, House said she is currently focusing all of her attention on opening the school and making the opening a success for all who will occupy it.

Since the school is not slated to open for two months after the first day of school, the new school will be housed out of both Calvert Middle School and Calvert Elementary School.

House has been working with Calvert Middle School Principal Bruce Hutchison and Calvert Elementary School Principal Laurie Haynie to make sure everything is coordinated properly.

She has also been working closely with Plum Point Elementary School Principal Joyce King.

‘‘It’s an exciting, exhausting, exhilarating experience so far,” House said.

Over the past several months, House has met with parents and students to help with the transition to a new school and begin to build a community.

The school’s first picnic was held in June where students selected the school’s new mascot, the bull dog, and school color, orange.

At this picnic, House met with more than 200 members of the new school including both employees and students, while at the same time adding new photos for her already growing Barstow Elementary School scrapbook. Scrapbooking is one of House’s favorite hobbies outside of her work.

As far as the new school year is concerned, House is eager to hit the ground running.

Her goals for the school are similar to many administrators as she said she would like to ‘‘build a sense of community, a sense of pride and a sense of working together as a team.”

House said all those who have helped her in opening the new school have been ‘‘phenomenal” from her family to the many new parents eager to lend a hand.

While transitioning students two months into the school year may be difficult, House said she and many other school system employees have been meeting weekly to ensure the smoothest transition possible.