On Principals: Forward With Direction

Two weeks ago I was asked for a quote as to why I thought students are twice as likely to choose Andover over Exeter. My comment was two-fold; the first had to do with the Academy’s reputation as a "pressure cooker" and how certain misconceptions of our school could be leading prospective students towards Andover. The second has been the subject of more controversy: I stated that Mr. Hassan’s time as our principal may also be affecting a student’s decision to enroll or not to enroll.There have been several articles published since my quote regarding both the A/E yield ratio and principals: Lindsey Jordan’s "To Wait and See," Michael Gary’s "Letter to the Editor" and others on the principal search. After reading these articles, I wanted to contextualize my quote and clarify my stance on the issue of principals as a whole.In his "Letter to the Editor," Gary states that I believe "this trend of choosing Andover over Exeter started under Tom Hassan’s principalship." This is not the case. I definitely do not believe Principal Hassan was the cause of this trend, or that it began as soon as he became our principal. I do, however, think that he could be a contributing factor to such a trend. Shifting to Jordan’s "To Wait and See" sheds some light on the reasoning behind my claim. Jordan raises an important point in her Op-Ed: she "doesn’t know what the principal does." And she is not alone. Countless other Exonians haven’t a clue when it comes to what exactly "principal" means or what his or her role should be. This lack of knowledge as to what a principal does or should be doing has been an issue long before Mr. Hassan’s time. But an understanding of the principal’s role is critical, especially given that we are in the midst of a search for a new one.A principal should serve as a visionary: they should be someone who acknowledges and continues what has proved successful for a school, but is not afraid to do away with what has become redundant or restructure what is broken. Progress does not stem from merely continuing what has been done before. Change, as much as it has become cliché, is necessary. A principal must act as a guiding force: this is why he or she is known as the "Head of School." Principals must be able to—and most certainly not be apprehensive about—leading their school in a direction they believe will serve it best.And therein lies the problem with Principal Hassan. To make myself clear, my comments are not meant as an attack. As I have said before, his 25 years of service to the Academy is both admirable and commendable. But it is those very 25 years that has rendered him unable to serve effectively as a principal. Someone who has been a part of the Academy for such an extended period of time will be more apt to maintain its culture—both the good and the bad—than to change it. In talking to students and faculty, as well as speaking from personal experience, the consensus seems to be this: Exeter has lost its direction.This is why I believe part of this pattern of choosing Andover over Exeter has to do with our principal. A school without direction, without the capacity for improvement, is not a school one chooses to attend. Exeter cannot rest on its laurels. We need to have space for progression. At an institution where we are pushed to challenge and think critically about our thoughts and the thoughts of our peers, should we not ask our principal to do the same?