Each year for the past nine years, one or two lucky Bedford Hills Elementary School students have shadowed Principal Sherri Steele as the school’s Principal for a Day. This tradition gives students a peek behind the curtain at what it’s like to lead the school.
“Principal for a Day is an opportunity for students to explore how their school is run behind the scenes,” Steele said. “In addition to being a fun, action-packed experience, it’s a great opportunity for students to step up as leaders and start thinking about future career paths in education.”
This year, Bedford Hills students Margaret Sojka and James Lane received the opportunity in December and January, respectively.
Bedford Hills Elementary School student Margaret Sojka
On her day as principal, Sojka helped lead her fellow students in a winter sing-along. She and Steele sported matching festive outfits. Sojka rose to the occasion, dancing and singing her heart out.
“It was really fun. I got to hang out with Mrs. Steele all day,” Sojka said. “I loved being in the sing-along.”
Sojka and Principal Steele lead the winter sing-along in matching wreath sweatshirts made by Steele.
Sojka read the morning announcements over the intercom, visited classrooms, helped facilitate dismissal, and more. She says this experience taught her some important lessons about leadership.
“Being a leader is about helping people, leading them, and showing them how to do things,” Sojka said. “You have to have a loud voice to be a leader.”
Lane was Principal for a Day in January. He was especially eager to explore the parts of the school he normally didn’t get to see and to learn about day-to-day operations at Bedford Hills.
“It was great. I got to see the basement. I never went down there before,” Lane said. “Being a principal was a little different from what I thought. It can be fun, but hard.”
Bedford Hills Elementary School student James Lane
Lane visited the mechanical room, opened the curtain on the stage, distributed prizes for good attendance, and even pulled the fire alarm for a scheduled fire drill.
Principal for a Day is as fun as it is educational. With Steele’s approval, Lane walked into his classroom and announced that, as their principal, he’d be granting them an extra recess period for the day.
The Principal for a Day program can lead to year-round leadership opportunities for some students. Ever the service-minded helper, Lane regularly distributes weekend meal bags to students and hands umbrellas to staff when it’s raining during dismissal.
“We each play a special role in this school. Opportunities like Principal for a Day invite students into the creation of our school culture and show them how important it is to be a part of their community,” Steele said. “When they look back 10, 15, or 20 years from now, these are the moments they’re going to remember.”
