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By Carl Sessions
Executive Editor

20 years ago Principal John Bacon walked City’s hallways, wrote for the Little Hawk, and played on the school basketball team. Today he says these experiences are a main reason why he wanted to be City’s principal.

“I grew up in the shadows of City High,” Bacon said. “I have a deep love and commitment to City. If someone told me when I was a student at City that I would one day be principal, I would have asked, ‘When can I start?’”

Principal Bacon’s enthusiasm has been noticeable already this fall. At school assemblies he is such a strong orator that he’s been compared to President Obama multiple times, his efforts to talk with each student in the hallways and after school show a desire to connect with everyone, and his video announcements delivered at homeroom are evocative of FDR’s fireside chats.

This enthusiasm is reflective of the broader goals he has in mind for City as he works day-to-day.
“I have a five-pronged vision for City High,” Bacon said. “First, we should be an academic powerhouse, an institution that delivers a world class education.”

He is confident that the current teachers and administrators can achieve this goal.
“We have a staff and faculty that represent true excellence, our administrative team provides supreme leadership and our City High students are incredibly talented young people,” Bacon said at the school’s opening ceremony on the first day of class.

Our new principal is also interested in what goes on outside of the classroom.

“The second and part of my vision is to have co-curricular activities that operate at the highest level in the state.”
Bacon’s third point is that he wants “students to know they belong here. It’s essential for students to feel connected to the school–every Little Hawk should know that they are important and valued.”

Bacon has already made some changes in his first month. He started the Student Advisory Center (SAC), led by Mrs. Starr Jones, to help students with disciplinary issues.

“It [SAC] is an intake center for discipline referrals. Certain types of detentions will be served there. It will be more efficient in getting those obligations met and provides a better forum for us to deliver direct instruction about news and expectations,” he said.

He has also allowed the use of cell phones and iPods in the hallways, a somewhat controversial move he believes can teach responsibility.

“I know that electronic devices are very much a part of a student’s world. Rather than avoid them, the school can help teach responsible use.”

However, he is quick to say that the primary purpose of a school is to be an educational institution.
“Electronic devices must not become a distraction to the learning environment,” he said. “My hope is that students will accept the increased privilege and respond with great respect to the rules surrounding them.”

Bacon articulated the fourth part of his vision, the continuance of high ethical standards, by insisting that “this institution needs to be a place of deep respect and kindness.”

Finally, the fifth part of Bacon’s vision revolves around something that he has stressed since arriving at the school. Throughout his speeches, television messages and presence in the halls he has maintained that he wants City High to continue to be the school that leads, and he wants students to love being Little Hawks.

“Throughout everything we do there should be a powerful sense of school spirit. Our school’s pride is strong, but I want to see it go off the charts. I want to see students supporting each other to come to school events in high numbers–I want to live up to our reputation as the school that leads.”

Mr. Bacon recognizes that City High faces some challenges.

“I want to make sure that all students are serious about their educations,” he said. “City High is really a wonderful place to be part of. My hope is that students understand the special opportunities that they have here.”

Another challenge that Bacon has faced is the task of taking over the school after the controversial departure of Mark Hanson.

While the circumstances of the transition were less than ideal, many students feel that Bacon is up to the job. Evan Risk, ’11, after the school’s opening ceremony, said, “I really like him. He seems like a genuine guy. His speeches so far have been energetic and he seems to really care about the school.”

When Bacon was interviewed for the job and the panel that was evaluating him asked why he should be the new principal of City High, he responded:
“For me this is a dream job. I hope to continue in the tradition of leadership that we have had and pave the way for long-term success that everyone here deserves.”