BHS hosts ‘Principal for a Day’
By HOLLY GASKILL
In an annual tradition, Bluffton High School hosted a member of the Indiana State Board of Education as “Principal for a Day” on Wednesday.
This time, B.J. Watts traveled from Evansville to get a peek into the day-to-day at Bluffton-Harrison schools.
In addition to serving on the State Board of Education, Watts is a part of the Indiana State Teachers Association and the National Association of State Boards of Education Governmental Affairs Committee. He also serves as the executive director of Opportunities Through Partnerships that Inform (OptIN).
Watts commended the district’s commitment to its students, particularly in its opportunities for career exploration, college credit and technical education.
“I not only travel the state, but travel the country, and I don’t know that I’ve seen a traditional high school with as many pathway options as Bluffton has,” Watts said. “I’m in Evansville, which is the third-largest district in the state, and we don’t have a tenth of what they have in this building in any of our high schools — and we have nine.”
Watts essentially followed Principal Steve Baker through a daily routine, beginning with a professional development meeting at 7 a.m. He then daily announcements and observed several class lessons, as well as toured the high school, alternative school and middle school, including the new career exploration classroom. Watts also sat in on a meeting or regular school support positions.
Baker has invited a member of the IDOE every year since 2000.
“For me, so many times when we deal with things, it’s usually because they’re not going well,” Watts said. “It’s nice, it’s refreshing to see good work being done and see what’s going on inside our schools. We all know that it’s taking place, but it’s nice to take time to celebrate it.”
Watts concluded, “You can tell walking through this building — everyone wants to be here. And that makes for a pretty special place.”
holly@news-banner.com
