Andrews Connects With School, Students as 'Principal'

For Chris Andrews becoming a Principal for a Day was not only a way for him to reach out to the community, but an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the problems and successes of the public school system.

"I visited dozens of classrooms and I never sat down from 7:30 to 2 p.m.," Andrews said about his visit to Jordan High School in Watts. "The principal was excellent and engaging."

Andrews, an agent for International Creative Management, joined about 300 women and men from the entrtainment and business communities who visitied schools throughout Los Angeles as school "principals" on March 30. Working with real principals in Los Angeles public schools, participants got the chance to try out some of the daily tasks of running a school such as taking attendance, teaching a class, supervising lunch or taking part in faculty or budget meetings. Many met with teachers, administrators, students and parents to talk with them about their school. The idea is to give the visiting "principals" a "hands-on" lesson in what is really happening in public schools in Los Angeles and the opportunity to learn what they can do to help.

"The school I attended really needed to have the opportunity to attract the best teachers and find a way to keep them longer," Andrews said. "Schools like Jordan can always use more money, but I think the real need is human resources." But Andrews said what most surprised him about the school was the large number of infants and toddlers that attended day care at Jordan.

"It was filled with infants all three to six months old who were all the children of the students who attended Jordan," he said.

Participants in Principal for a Day are encouraged to form new partnerships with schools through the LAUSD Partnerships and Adopt-A-School Office's program and to get involved in efforts to improve the quality of public education through the Los Angeles Educational Partnership and other education and community organizations.

Andrews said he plans to meet with Jordan's principal and various students on a monthly basis to discuss issues of concern to the school. As a first step, Andrews invited Principal Dhyan Lal and several students to be his guests in the ICM skybox at the Staples Center for a basketball game.

"I think Chris was phenomenal," said Dr. Dhyan Lal, Jordan High School Principal. "On a scale of one to 10, I would give Chris an 11. He had this innate ability to walk in and fit right in. Anyone who can come into a school like this and take it all in like Chris did is the real deal."

Principal for a Day was sponsored by the Entertainment Industry Foundation and developed by the Los Angeles Educational Partnership in conjunction with the Los Angeles Unified School District as a model for engaging the public in support of public education.

	Related Links 300 participate in Principal for a Day 2000 Nearly 300 LAUSD principals played host to visiting executives. Visit the Entertainment Industry Foundation Web site Photo Gallery

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