EDITORIAL | Advice for our New Principal

Photo Credit: Yearbook Archives

As we bid farewell to current principal Ms. M. Jensen (Administration), the Editorial Board looks forward to welcoming our school’s new administrative director, Mr. J. Lauzon. 

Every high school is different, and as longtime Hamber students and advocates, we would like to take this opportunity to share some counsel with the future leader of our community. 

This editorial is by no means a criticism of previous administrative decisions; rather, it is a roadmap towards a future built upon meaningful collaboration and communication.

1) Support us in organizing events that increase school spirit

Hamber students are highly motivated to organize events and activities — support us! While some of our ideas may involve extra preparation, the joy and leadership opportunities they provide are well worth the effort. Hamber students, especially Student Council, are generally eager to work with administration to resolve any issues with their propositions.

COVID-19 ended many traditions at Hamber, from Carfreenival to The Griff — at least in its original capacity. Many of these events were never re-established due to restrictions on food and beverage sales and a lack of accessible funding. These restrictions were created to reduce the risks associated with school events, but in turn, ultimately led to the demise of Hamber’s school spirit and identity. 

Hamber’s lack of spirit is not characteristic of other schools across the district, who have continued to host spirit events post-pandemic. Gladstone Secondary, for example, recently held its yearly “Summer Festival”, complete with food, beverages, live performances, and carnival-style games. Similarly, David Thompson and Vancouver Technical hold annual summer kickoff events, named the “Summer Extravaganza” and “Technival”, respectively. These schools went through the pandemic and all its resultant restructuring, but their events came back to life. Ours have not.

With a concerted effort from administration, however, it might be possible to restore the school spirit of the past, providing younger students with experiences that will last a lifetime. An element of risk is inherent in every activity, including many events that Hamber already holds; we encourage the new principal to consider the benefits of improving student morale, as opposed to only focusing on the potential risks of spirit activities.

A more directly curriculum-focused element of this is field trips. The sharp decline in field trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic has never been fully remedied at Hamber. The principal should encourage field trips, as they often reward students with invaluable experiential learning; moreover, they should have confidence in teachers to make decisions on which trips may be suited for their classes. 

With a new school to explore, rife with opportunity for new events within and outside the classroom, the decisions that the administration makes in these next few months are vital. A new building means a new beginning, and this fresh start will lay the groundwork for future generations of Hamberites.

2) Trust teachers to make appropriate educational decisions

Teachers, some of whose tenures are over two decades long, are the most consistent members of the school community. Students stay at Hamber for five years at most, and administrators cycle in and out frequently. Hamber has seen eight vice principals come and go in the last two years alone; with this latest principal switch, the entire administrative body will soon be relatively new to the school. 

While the principal ultimately has the final say on most school decisions, they should trust the competence of Hamber teachers, especially those with many years of experience at our school, to make pedagogically informed decisions for the school community. The principal should focus on matters that are closer within their purview — matters which cannot be dealt with by other trusted staff members. 

Principals have unique competences and responsibilities which constitute their role as a leader of the school community, and they can leverage this to create positive change within their jurisdiction. The new principal should consider the Administrative Procedures set by the district for principals, and should make a reasonable attempt to use these procedures in their decision making before approving or rejecting a proposal from the community.

3) Be transparent in your decision making procedures

Many students, inadequately informed of the Hamber decision-making process, find themselves bewildered by the restrictions placed on seemingly routine activities and events. Parents often receive considerably more communication than students about decisions that affect students first. 

The Editorial Board calls upon our new principal to adopt a culture of transparency and justification. The new principal should consider the Administrative Procedures set out by the district for principals, and should use and cite these procedures in their decision making.

In the event that a proposed idea is rejected, the principal should provide a well-supported composition of potential issues and why they outweigh the benefits. Not only does this build trust between the administration and the rest of the Hamber community by portraying the admin as legitimate and responsive leaders, but it also establishes a culture in which students and teachers are treated as adults — a culture that promotes student growth and maturity as they transition into adulthood.

Additionally, it is important to keep all members of the community equally informed on upcoming events. Students, parents, and teachers must all be kept on the same page to increase trust and collaboration within the school. For example, all information outlined in the bi-weekly Parent/Guardian Newsletters should also be distributed to students within a reasonable timeframe.

4) Appreciate and support students who make a difference in the community

The VSB Values Statement, as outlined in their 2026 Education Plan, states that “an effective public education system will prepare students to be active, productive, and socially responsible citizens.” Students should also learn to “act upon the values and principles that make us human; care for themselves, for others, and for the planet; and exercise a critical intelligence adaptable to new situations.”

The Editorial Board has found it occasionally difficult to create significant positive changes in our environment without facing pushback from the administration. We call upon the new lead administrator to recognize students who are dedicated to making a positive impact in the Hamber community, and empower them to pursue their initiatives. Club executives are eager to do the work of building meaningful change through extracurriculars; with support from the administration, these clubs can become more successful and can serve as avenues for experiential learning outside the classroom.

This support should additionally be extended to teachers. Currently, teachers given the choice between their official instructional obligations, and club sponsoring, are naturally forced to prioritize their regular classes. As such, teachers are not always able to advocate for club members, diminishing the club’s ability to incite positive change within the community. Many student leaders are left handling logistical challenges, such as securing meeting spaces and communicating with members through Teams, with limited guidance from their sponsors. 

By providing teachers with the necessary time and resources, the administration can help them be the most effective club sponsors possible, which in turn facilitates student connection and extra-curricular learning. We wish to celebrate achievement, but that’s not possible without support, which needs to be derived from both administration and teachers.