An exclusive interview with: The omnipresent principal

Some may say he is omnipresent, or so it seems. Every morning when students enter the school campus he is present, rain or shine. During every lunch hour students see him as he interacts with other pupils. And everyone swears they see him ALL the time as he roams about in the halls. This is the life of our new secondary principal, Mr. Michael Lee.


Mr. Lee is the eighth in a long line of secondary principals since the school was established. Yet, none of the previous principals has interacted with the students to the extent he has. Nonetheless, Mr. Lee believes that interaction is vital to the secondary principal position. He believes that when students go to see him they “should not feel intimidated by him because he is sitting behind a desk.” Sometimes he does not even have a destination as he walks throughout the school building; he just decides to walk around the halls so that students feel familiar and comfortable in his presence. Since one of the best times to interact with students is during the lunch hour, he believes that he should regularly be downstairs amongst the students. “If I am not down there, I better have a very good excuse,” he said. We can clearly see that “principal” is not merely a title he wants to carry; rather it is a job full of responsibility which he is determined to do well.

Mr. L. hopes that through interacting with the students they will feel comfortable in voicing concerns, ideas and thoughts they may have, related to the school. He also wants to “give the students greater ownership of the school” by establishing a strong student council where they can express their views concerning the school.

One of the biggest questions facing both the students and the staff is the development of the school. We all dream of having an indoor gym and a nice big soccer field. When asked how he hopes to advance the school’s he replied, “I am trusting the board to make these decisions.” When asked what he thought about open campus, his reply was that “great caution” needs to be taken regarding this because the school is responsible for students at all times. As this is his first year at IGA, Mr. Lee would like to observe carefully before making any drastic changes, although he does have some visions for IGA’s future.

Mr. Lee jokes that he came on a two-year contract “with an unbelievably high salary.” The advancement he hopes to see in these two years is “greater dynamics” in the school body. He also wants us to become more emotionally and spiritually aware of those around us, such as our fellow classmates, our teachers and the Turks. The dedication he sees in the staff is something he greatly appreciates and hopes this dedication will continue to grow.

Mr. Lee concluded this interview by revealing his life motto: “Inspired by One, he inspired many.” There is no doubt Mr. Lee has lived up to this maxim. In these past months Mr. Lee has made a great effort to be involved in the school, particularly with the student body, inspiring both students and staff alike.

Advancements in the Sports Department over the years

Steve L. started to get involved in the school’s sports department a long time back. His interest in sports and working with kids caused him to start teaching P.E to the elementary grades in our school. Since then he has taught numerous grades, from K-12 in our school. It was not until the last two years that he has been able to devote more time to the sports department, enabling him to offer his services as the athletic director of I--.
Over the years, he has seen firsthand how far this school has advanced in the sports department. He said, “The biggest change was when we became official, enabling us to have official sport teams.” As the population of the school has increased, the ability to offer more sport options has increased as well. When I—added grade 12, a high school team could finally be formed, thus enabling students to participate in a wider variety of sports other than attending P.E classes only.
Steve L. holds the belief that sports are an important part of a students’ education: Not only does sports teach teamwork, self-discipline and “winning and losing with grace,” but it also follows God’s command to “take care of ourselves which includes our bodies.” When asked what he hopes can be accomplished in the future he said, “To have our own fields. Then we can hold tournaments. Renting fields uses a lot of money.” Despite the fact the school’s sports department is advancing very slowly, Mr. L. is greatly appreciates the support of his company and the admin team especially.

“The admin team is wonderful,” he commented. “They support [the kids playing sports] and do not hold them back.” He really enjoys working, teaching and coaching the students in I--. “I like being around the kids, seeing them grow up: they have personality.”