The new principal at Westmount School needs to learn how to be a child again. Jordan Rhodes started his first day of school on Sept. 4 at the K-Grade 9 Westmount School after spending the past eight years as vice-principal at Foothills Composite High School. “I have been at a high school my entire career,” said Rhodes, who started at High River’s Highwood High School as a teacher before going into administration at the Comp. “This is something that will be different and a challenge I haven’t had in my career.” He said being at a K-Grade 9 school will be a totally different perspective. “There will be definite learning curve in terms of elementary education and high school,” he said. “But I think kids are kids. There won’t be a huge difference. There might be a difference in terms of the maturity of the conversation, but not in what kids are open to do and what excites them.” Rhodes is like a kid going to his first day of school – excited and looking forward to the future. And don’t rock the boat. “I have been working with the staff and what the year is going to look like,” Rhodes said last week. “A lot of it was really learning from them and what the school is about and what they have done. “I have said a number of times that Westmount is in a good spot to reflect on where it has come in the past six years in a new building. [I need] to see what is working and what needs some change and kind of work from there. “I am not going to come in and shake-up things huge. I want to take look at what the school is and how do I fit myself into that?” He has received some advice from a mentor. Rhodes’ former boss, Foothills principal Vince Hunter was the headman at the K-9 Heritage Heights School prior to moving to the Comp. “I got a lot of advice from him,” Rhodes said. “He has told me how it is different and the approach [at a K-Grade 9 school].” He said he will continue to take Hunter’s advice – the Comp is nice walk from Westmount. “Oh, absolutely,” a chuckling Rhodes said. “With a grain of salt.” The move to Westmount also means a return to the classroom for the 2000 Highwood High grad. “I will be in the classroom doing some instructions, food and construction,” Rhodes said. “There’s a difference relationship with kids when you are in front of them in the classroom.” He added it will also improve his relationship with teachers Rhodes plans to build the same strong relationships and memories with students at Westmount as he had at the Comp. “I ran into a student last week and she had been one of the toughest kids I ever had,” Rhodes said. “She called me out and said: ‘Hey Mr. Rhodes, do you remember me?’ “She is on the rebound, doing well, and anytime you have something like that it makes it all worthwhile.”
