Relates. Leads. Articulates.

These three characteristics were ranked highest by students for the desired attributes of a principal in the Prep News school wide survey to aid in the principal selection process.

Students were also asked to identify the strengths and issues of the Rockhurst community.

The consensus between all four classes concerning the top three strengths of the school was academics, athletics and community/brotherhood, respectively.

While academics were ranked as the biggest strength, the students voted college preparation/academics as the most pertinent concern for the future.

            Despite this, experience in curriculum-development and experience as a teacher both ranked near the bottom of the desired characteristics for the new principal, ranking sixth and ninth, respectively.

“Kids are just looking at what they want out of the principal’s work; they’re not taking into consideration what kind of tools the principal’s going to need in order to produce the desired results,” senior Andrew Edmonds said.

            The second most pertinent issue is student life, which was defined in the survey as “establishing good decision-making models for students in light of social and peer pressures.”

Interestingly, the principal and the administration have little control over the interaction of peers within the school community.

            “It depends on how involved [the principal and the administration] really are [in student life].  They only need to be involved to a certain degree.  Going to games and stuff like that is okay—anything more than that seems unnecessary,” junior Cullen O’Rourke. 

All four class averages ranked the quality of “knowledge and application of Jesuit traditions and ideals” ninth or 10th out of the 10 possible desired characteristics.  Students also ranked “Ignatian traditions” ninth out of the 10 total strengths of the school.

“[Ignatian and Jesuit traditions ranked low] because we’re indoctrinated with these traditions since the first day of school.  A lot of it is either talked about so much that we get sick of hearing it or we don’t know what it means,” Edmonds said.

Overall, a clear selection in all categories, regarding strengths and issues of Rockhurst and the characteristics of an ideal principal, was not present.

“[The questions] pretty much covered all aspects of Rockhurst.  There wasn’t anything important missing in the ranking questions…The results had to be broad— everyone has a different experience and wants different things,” senior Tyler Mahoney said.

Despite this, experience in curriculum-development and experience as a teacher both ranked near the bottom of the desired characteristics for the new principal, ranking sixth and ninth, respectively.

“Kids are just looking at what they want out of the principal’s work; they’re not taking into consideration what kind of tools the principal’s going to need in order to produce the desired results,” senior Andrew Edmonds said.

The second most pertinent issue is student life, which was defined in the survey as “establishing good decision-making models for students in light of social and peer pressures.”

Interestingly, the principal and the administration have little control over the interaction of peers within the school community.

“It depends on how involved [the principal] really is [in student life].  He only needs to be involved to a certain degree.  Going to games and stuff like that is okay—anything more than that seems unnecessary,” junior Cullen O’Rourke. 

All four class averages ranked the quality of “knowledge and application of Jesuit traditions and ideals” ninth or 10th out of the 10 possible desired characteristics.  Students also ranked “Ignatian traditions” ninth out of the 10 total strengths of the school.

“[Ignatian and Jesuit traditions ranked low] because we’re indoctrinated with these traditions since the first day of school.  A lot of it is either talked about so much that we get sick of hearing it or we don’t know what it means,” Edmonds said.

Overall, a distinct selection in all categories, regarding strengths and issues of Rockhurst and the characteristics of an ideal principal, was not present.

“[The questions] pretty much covered all aspects of Rockhurst.  There wasn’t anything important missing in the ranking questions…The results had to be broad— everyone has a different experience and wants different things,” senior Tyler Mahoney said.