Why student support and a strong school culture are key for this middle school principal

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As a high school wrestler many years ago, Jon Wilcox was expected to help train much younger students who were learning to wrestle. It was a role he accepted and one that helped cement his decision to pursue teaching.

“Week after week, I had the same group that I worked with, so I think the consistency of getting to know them and then going to tournaments and coaching them from the corner, that was definitely pretty powerful,” he said.

Wilcox, who was recently named Michigan's 2024 Principal of the Year, is influencing students in different ways these days. For nine years he has been principal at Petoskey Middle School, a school of about 570 students, 42% of whom come from low-income homes.

Those who wrote letters of support for his nomination said he is focused on the well-being of children and their families, has created a positive school culture and has a collaborative leadership style, according to the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and Principals. . the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies, which awards the award.

Wilcox prioritizes meeting student needs, especially post-COVID when student anxiety is on the rise.

But high school has always been a tumultuous time. So when less than a week into his tenure as principal, Wilcox was approached about funding a behavioral health therapist at his school, he jumped at the opportunity.

“A lot of times a kid gets into trouble and their toolbox is limited,” he said. “You try to advise them as best you can and then provide some type of disciplinary action. And then it's like, okay, now go back to the classroom.”

The school now has two behavioral health therapists, as well as two counselors. Having so many people supporting the emotional and mental health needs of students, she said, “has been very beneficial.”

Educators can easily become frustrated with the challenges that students bring to the classroom that often seem unfair to the child, but something Wilcox heard years ago has given them crucial insight.

Parents, they told him, “send us the best…and love their children more than anything.”

Wilcox, who recently spoke with Chalkbeat, is always thinking about that because once students get to school, “We are responsible six or seven hours a day for the most important thing in a parent's life. And that can be profound.”

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

What led you to dedicate yourself to education?

Like many educators, I was lucky to have very good teachers during my time at school, and not only that, but it was something of a family business. I have several cousins ​​who dedicated themselves to education and one of my brothers was a teacher. My grandfather was a principal and he was very respected in the community. That intrigued me a little. I think when I decided I was in high school and I was helping with our youth wrestling program, I just liked working with kids and that kind of helped guide my decision to become a teacher a little bit. My dad always talked about how respectable a career choice it is because you have an impact on the community and a direct impact on kids who could use a little more support.

Do you remember anything in particular that showed you what it means to be a teacher?

I had a physics teacher who was also one of our assistant wrestling coaches. Our head coach was absent, so this assistant coach led the entire practice. After practice, he asked me, 'How was practice? Is there anything you could have done better? And I remember thinking, 'Wow, he cares enough to ask me what I think.' I mean, this was a physics professor that I admired and considered a great teacher, and for him to humble himself and ask me…what I thought about the practice, that was pretty powerful.

What issues have arisen for you as a school leader this school year and how have you addressed them?

In high school, year after year, there are many student conflicts. We're dealing with the age group where kids are trying to figure out who they are and what interests them. And sometimes that changes over time. They are very different children when they enter sixth grade (and) when they leave eighth grade. There is a lot of growth happening. And with that growth comes a lot of changes and changes in friend groups and, therefore, some conflicts with peers. We try to use them as teaching moments on how to be empathetic and accepting of others. “You don't have to like everyone, but you do have to respect everyone” is what we try to teach our children.

How do you deal with high school conflicts?

You hear the word bullying a lot and bullying absolutely happens. But most of the time it is a conflict between two students. Generally, it is a conflict that we can resolve and resolve. That's why we do a lot of conflict resolution meetings where we have an adult… talk about a situation with both kids and we try to help them get the other student's perspective. And then, you know, apologize and there might still be a consequence, but we really focus on those restorative practices.

What is the best advice you have received and how have you put it into practice?

One thing I heard (came) during my master's program in a class taught by a superintendent. He said: “Never make a decision that you cannot explain publicly.” And I've thought about that I don't know how many times. It's not that you always have to publicly explain your decision. But I think it's a really good lens to make sure your head is in the right place when making decisions, because often we have to make really complex decisions. And just thinking about it, how would you explain this if you had to? That's probably the quote I turn to most often.

Petoskey is a tourist attraction in Michigan, but you work in a district where almost half of the students come from low-income households. How do you address the challenges that come with educating vulnerable students?

We have a lot of socioeconomic diversity and that certainly presents its own challenges. One thing we have incorporated is we call it our student support network. Each of our grade levels are divided into teams, and a team of four teachers will have the same students, and then our counselors are part of those teams. We will have (meetings) where we will intentionally talk about who the students are who are struggling. How are they fighting? What interventions work for this student? What have we tried that didn't work? And we document all of that. We try to be really systematic to make sure that no one is left behind.

What have you read that has made you a better educator?

If I had to pick one thing, I would say “The First Days of School” by Harry Wong (and Rosemary Wong). It's a book that I imagine most teacher preparation programs use. And if they don't, I think they should. I read it when I was a freshman in college and still, every time we hire new teachers, I reference that book. And whenever we have a teacher who is struggling with classroom management, I will hand them that book and say, read this chapter. It's a really good book that doesn't seem to have aged.

In recent years, many students have faced mental health challenges. How has your team helped support you at this time?

We have two school counselors. And then two behavioral health therapists employed through the local health department. They have appointments with children who need additional support. That has been really beneficial for our students and their families. And the other thing is restorative practices (because) not everything has to be solved with a hammer. In recent years, we have increased the number of special education teachers we have, so their caseload is lower than in the past.

How do you take care of yourself when you're not at work?

I was lucky to have worked with a principal who told me that you need to take care of yourself and spend time at home and outside of school. So he helped me (understand) that you can spend 24 hours a day working and there will still be work on your desk. So know when to quit and go home. My wife and I have four children. That's why we're busy going to sporting events, practices, and plays. This is how we take care of ourselves; We just spent time together as a family. We camp a lot. And then I have a small farm where we grow Christmas trees and have bees. All of that keeps me busy. And I love doing those things.

Do you have honey bees?

My second son, he came home from school (I think he was in kindergarten) and someone had brought a frame of honey for show and tell. And he was hooked on reading books and watching YouTube videos about bees. So he hooked me and we've had them ever since.

chalk beat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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