A good pick for West Jay (07/29/05)

It looks like a great choice.

Jay School Board members gave a thumbs-up this week to the hiring of Michael Crull as the new principal of West Jay Middle School, and it’s tough to imagine a better fit.

Crull, trained as both a social studies teacher and a vocational teacher, has taught at West Jay since 1987. Along the way, he’s picked up a career-ful of honors, awards, and bits of recognition.

Among other things, he’s been honored as the state’s top social studies teacher and its top economics teacher. He was a top-ten finalist for Indiana Teacher of the Year just awhile back. But it isn’t just on paper, that he looks like the right candidate for the job.

If you want to know what kind of educator Michael Crull is, just ask his students. When word of his hiring for the West Jay job moved through the community this week, some of the people who were most enthusiastic were those who had been kids in Crull’s classroom.

Study after study has made it clear that great principals make great schools. There’s a direct correlation between the leadership at the top, the climate created for teachers, students, and parents, and academic performance. The board and superintendent Barb Downing have knocked this one out of the park. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]