New principal is up for the challenge
Mr. Greg Applestein is Bonny Eagle's new principal. Staff screenshot.
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Sept. 1, 2020
Sitting in his assistant principal’s office on the morning of March 16, with Scarborough High School shut down for at least two weeks because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Greg Applestein decided to email MSAD6 superintendent Paul Penna. He inquired if the job as principal, which had been filled on an interim basis by Mr. Michael Johnson in 2019-20, was still open.
“I knew sitting in my Scarborough office that I would be involved in the reimagining, the restructuring and the retooling of high school education in Maine regardless of which office I would be sitting in either as an assistant principal or as a principal,” Mr. Applestein said during an August interview. “And I thought, number one, what a great opportunity, just the principalship alone….And secondly, what a great time to be serving as an administrator where through the teamwork I totally believe in and the collaboration, with not only administrators but kids and staff and families and stakeholders, how much of a blessing that would be to be a part of something that we’ve never ever done before.”
After an exhaustive search, which included interviewing five candidates from inside and outside the state of Maine, Mr. Applestein was chosen to lead BEHS in this most unusual and challenging year.
“Mr. Applestien was the overwhelming favorite candidate of the selection committee because of his professional experiences in education,” said Mr. Penna. “His enthusiasm and desire to be the principal of BEHS was well articulated, as was his passion for students.”
Mr. Applestein says he had done his homework on Bonny Eagle and had come to realize that it would be a great place to start his career as a high school principal after five years as an assistant at Scarborough High School. Before Scarborough, Mr. Applestein was an assistant principal at Ellsworth High School for three years. Prior to completing his Masters in Educational Leadership at USM, he taught English and Video Productions for 22 years at Belfast Area High School on the Mid-Coast.
Mr. Applestein says he was impressed with the plan for remote learning that Bonny Eagle administrators and staff put together virtually overnight last spring. He says it far surpassed his experience in Scarborough. He has high hopes for BE’s hybrid plan, which he expresses great faith in, and which will be put to the test beginning Sept. 8.
“We’ll know within the first 2 or 3 weeks if the yellow plan is working,” he says candidly. “I feel honored, I feel grateful, I feel energized and enthusiastic about it all because of the opportunities it gives all of us to reimagine and rethink and recalibrate the way we do things.”
Mr. Penna says he has encouraged our new principal to get to know all stakeholders as quickly as he can. He feels sure that Mr. Applestein will quickly realize that “BE Pride is second to none.
“We've talked about the importance of ensuring that BEHS provides multiple pathways of success to meet the different needs of students,” Mr. Penna said. “We also have talked about ensuring that BEHS is a safe and welcoming place for all students.”
Sept. 1, 2020
Sitting in his assistant principal’s office on the morning of March 16, with Scarborough High School shut down for at least two weeks because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Greg Applestein decided to email MSAD6 superintendent Paul Penna. He inquired if the job as principal, which had been filled on an interim basis by Mr. Michael Johnson in 2019-20, was still open.
“I knew sitting in my Scarborough office that I would be involved in the reimagining, the restructuring and the retooling of high school education in Maine regardless of which office I would be sitting in either as an assistant principal or as a principal,” Mr. Applestein said during an August interview. “And I thought, number one, what a great opportunity, just the principalship alone….And secondly, what a great time to be serving as an administrator where through the teamwork I totally believe in and the collaboration, with not only administrators but kids and staff and families and stakeholders, how much of a blessing that would be to be a part of something that we’ve never ever done before.”
After an exhaustive search, which included interviewing five candidates from inside and outside the state of Maine, Mr. Applestein was chosen to lead BEHS in this most unusual and challenging year.
“Mr. Applestien was the overwhelming favorite candidate of the selection committee because of his professional experiences in education,” said Mr. Penna. “His enthusiasm and desire to be the principal of BEHS was well articulated, as was his passion for students.”
Mr. Applestein says he had done his homework on Bonny Eagle and had come to realize that it would be a great place to start his career as a high school principal after five years as an assistant at Scarborough High School. Before Scarborough, Mr. Applestein was an assistant principal at Ellsworth High School for three years. Prior to completing his Masters in Educational Leadership at USM, he taught English and Video Productions for 22 years at Belfast Area High School on the Mid-Coast.
Mr. Applestein says he was impressed with the plan for remote learning that Bonny Eagle administrators and staff put together virtually overnight last spring. He says it far surpassed his experience in Scarborough. He has high hopes for BE’s hybrid plan, which he expresses great faith in, and which will be put to the test beginning Sept. 8.
“We’ll know within the first 2 or 3 weeks if the yellow plan is working,” he says candidly. “I feel honored, I feel grateful, I feel energized and enthusiastic about it all because of the opportunities it gives all of us to reimagine and rethink and recalibrate the way we do things.”
Mr. Penna says he has encouraged our new principal to get to know all stakeholders as quickly as he can. He feels sure that Mr. Applestein will quickly realize that “BE Pride is second to none.
“We've talked about the importance of ensuring that BEHS provides multiple pathways of success to meet the different needs of students,” Mr. Penna said. “We also have talked about ensuring that BEHS is a safe and welcoming place for all students.”
Welcome back to a year like no other
Editor's Note: In preparation for students' return to the high school on Sept. 8, the Eagle Times new editors, Macey Cabral and Kaylei Myers zoomed with new BEHS Principal Mr. Greg Applestein on Aug. 17. These are some of the highlights of our interview.
Creating a "new normal" for staff, students
“The tricky part in leading is you can’t lead through fear. You have to lead through hope and compassion, even when you are afraid." BEHS Assistant Principal Ms. Erin Maguire.
BY MACEY CABRAL
April 30, 2020
Bonny Eagle's Assistant Principal Ms. Erin Maguire should have been in Augusta yesterday, receiving her award as Maine Principal's Association's Assistant Principal of the Year. Instead, she was doing what she's been doing every day since March 16: meeting online in Google Meets and Zoom sessions with staff, parents, students, and administrators. While she won her award for accomplishments in the "normal" realm of school, her efforts this spring in helping Bonny Eagle transition to online learning certainly deserve praise.
“She absolutely earned this recognition,” said Mrs. Lori Napolitano, who was BEHS principal last year and nominated her for the award. “Ms. Maguire is the full package. Not only is she amazing with students and families, but she is a true instructional leader as well.”
Ms. Maguire was very surprised to learn that she had won the award. “I’d be lying if I said this was an easy year,” she confessed, adding that after working with Mrs. Napolitano for so long, “I lost the person that knew all the answers.”
When she first heard that school had been shut down for a couple of weeks, Ms. Maguire was struck with a wave of fear, coupled with an uncertainty of what the future held. She worried as to how she could fill the minds of teachers with faith, hope, and strength.
“The tricky part in leading is you can’t lead through fear,” she said, “You have to lead through hope and compassion, even when you are afraid.”
After the initial upset, her thoughts moved on to figuring out how teachers could be supported, and how time could be divvied into answering all of their questions, as well as giving them all available information as it came, information that constantly changes to this day. Still though, she retained a sliver of hope.
“The first week I clung to the idea of coming back after April break,” Ms. Maguire remarked, “But my college degree is in math/statistics, I knew better the whole time, but convinced myself otherwise!” She went on to say, “It didn’t matter if we prepared ourselves. The shock of not going back to normal this spring was devastating.”
The new schedule for the middle school and high school was created by Mrs. Napolitano, then revised by a team of district administrators. Over the course of three days they worked out all necessary details that would make this new setup doable for teachers and students; then they presented teachers with the plan, part of which required that every teacher use Google Classroom. Ms. Maguire noted that Mrs. Susie Simmons, the Tech Integrator, had a huge part in making that happen, helping teachers to move online.
With the new opportunity of meeting with the Cumberland County Administrators virtually every week, something that has never been available before, Ms. Maguire found that Bonny Eagle was “significantly ahead of the curve" when it came to our online learning plan. Because we had started at the beginning of the trimester (unlike other schools that split the year in quarters), remediation did not have to be factored in. This made the job much quicker and easier. It took less than a week to get everyone up and running.
"Keeping kids engaged in online learning is a tremendous and difficult task… any little bit helps," she says.
It’s no secret this has caused a lot of big changes. However, not all of them are negative.
“I actually think our teachers are meeting and collaborating more often,” observed Ms. Maguire. They meet weekly to organize, discuss, and make decisions. No matter your age, she said, having to stay at home is lonely and messes with your mind. These meetings can be for both professional and personal support.
Unfortunately, “we’ve lost that human element,” she said, “the one where you get to know each other student-to-teacher and learn each other’s quirks… Identifying when a kid is struggling or having a bad day but [doesn’t] know how to express that is gone in this setting.”
The challenge has been trying to “find new ways to connect with people, which becomes either slower, because you are navigating timelines and numerous people, or less individualized and personal because you met with a small group or sent an email instead.”
There’s no easy way to really connect with people, students and adults alike without talking to them face-to-face, in person.
Ms. Maguire described the biggest challenge, which is “overcoming the emptiness.” Schools both educate and provide a sense of community and belonging. The struggle is trying to recreate that sense, to keep the community together. There are students throughout the district that struggle under the normal circumstances, she explained.
“How do we not lose them? How do we not lose each other and our community?”
Out of this, there are a handful of beneficial aspects. For one, she says, “We are seeing that some students thrive in this environment. Who would have thought?” Additionally, this provides an opportunity to learn from what’s going on now to improve things later.
Overall, Ms. Maguire “couldn't be more proud of our teachers right now. Their effort, hours, engagement and ingenuity has been awe-inspiring. They are tired, working more hours than their normal week to make sure they give to you their ultimate best.” Times are tough, and everyone is doing what they can to make this easier. “I’ve never been so BE proud,” she added.
As June approaches, one of the main concerns that has arisen is how to celebrate the Class of 2020 which has been robbed of its final traditions and traditional celebrations at BEHS. She said that “the idea of not having the normal pomp and circumstance, and closure with our Seniors hurts my heart. For four years they’ve been ‘our kids’, how do we now thank them, celebrate them, and say goodbye?”
It’s uncertain how different things will be in September, if we go back at all. Until mid-July, it won’t be clear what consequences will have been thrust upon school in the fall. “For now,” said Ms. Maguire conclusively, “we cling to hope and revel on how well students and staff have done so far.”
As for her award, Ms. Maguire feels that this achievement does not solely belong to her. “I don’t think the recognition is just mine,” she expressed. “You don’t earn something like that without being part of a community,” which she explains includes good teachers, good leadership, good teammates, “and good kids.”
“So,” she continued, “I think we earned it; I don’t necessarily think I did… I just come and do my job every day.”
April 30, 2020
Bonny Eagle's Assistant Principal Ms. Erin Maguire should have been in Augusta yesterday, receiving her award as Maine Principal's Association's Assistant Principal of the Year. Instead, she was doing what she's been doing every day since March 16: meeting online in Google Meets and Zoom sessions with staff, parents, students, and administrators. While she won her award for accomplishments in the "normal" realm of school, her efforts this spring in helping Bonny Eagle transition to online learning certainly deserve praise.
“She absolutely earned this recognition,” said Mrs. Lori Napolitano, who was BEHS principal last year and nominated her for the award. “Ms. Maguire is the full package. Not only is she amazing with students and families, but she is a true instructional leader as well.”
Ms. Maguire was very surprised to learn that she had won the award. “I’d be lying if I said this was an easy year,” she confessed, adding that after working with Mrs. Napolitano for so long, “I lost the person that knew all the answers.”
When she first heard that school had been shut down for a couple of weeks, Ms. Maguire was struck with a wave of fear, coupled with an uncertainty of what the future held. She worried as to how she could fill the minds of teachers with faith, hope, and strength.
“The tricky part in leading is you can’t lead through fear,” she said, “You have to lead through hope and compassion, even when you are afraid.”
After the initial upset, her thoughts moved on to figuring out how teachers could be supported, and how time could be divvied into answering all of their questions, as well as giving them all available information as it came, information that constantly changes to this day. Still though, she retained a sliver of hope.
“The first week I clung to the idea of coming back after April break,” Ms. Maguire remarked, “But my college degree is in math/statistics, I knew better the whole time, but convinced myself otherwise!” She went on to say, “It didn’t matter if we prepared ourselves. The shock of not going back to normal this spring was devastating.”
The new schedule for the middle school and high school was created by Mrs. Napolitano, then revised by a team of district administrators. Over the course of three days they worked out all necessary details that would make this new setup doable for teachers and students; then they presented teachers with the plan, part of which required that every teacher use Google Classroom. Ms. Maguire noted that Mrs. Susie Simmons, the Tech Integrator, had a huge part in making that happen, helping teachers to move online.
With the new opportunity of meeting with the Cumberland County Administrators virtually every week, something that has never been available before, Ms. Maguire found that Bonny Eagle was “significantly ahead of the curve" when it came to our online learning plan. Because we had started at the beginning of the trimester (unlike other schools that split the year in quarters), remediation did not have to be factored in. This made the job much quicker and easier. It took less than a week to get everyone up and running.
"Keeping kids engaged in online learning is a tremendous and difficult task… any little bit helps," she says.
It’s no secret this has caused a lot of big changes. However, not all of them are negative.
“I actually think our teachers are meeting and collaborating more often,” observed Ms. Maguire. They meet weekly to organize, discuss, and make decisions. No matter your age, she said, having to stay at home is lonely and messes with your mind. These meetings can be for both professional and personal support.
Unfortunately, “we’ve lost that human element,” she said, “the one where you get to know each other student-to-teacher and learn each other’s quirks… Identifying when a kid is struggling or having a bad day but [doesn’t] know how to express that is gone in this setting.”
The challenge has been trying to “find new ways to connect with people, which becomes either slower, because you are navigating timelines and numerous people, or less individualized and personal because you met with a small group or sent an email instead.”
There’s no easy way to really connect with people, students and adults alike without talking to them face-to-face, in person.
Ms. Maguire described the biggest challenge, which is “overcoming the emptiness.” Schools both educate and provide a sense of community and belonging. The struggle is trying to recreate that sense, to keep the community together. There are students throughout the district that struggle under the normal circumstances, she explained.
“How do we not lose them? How do we not lose each other and our community?”
Out of this, there are a handful of beneficial aspects. For one, she says, “We are seeing that some students thrive in this environment. Who would have thought?” Additionally, this provides an opportunity to learn from what’s going on now to improve things later.
Overall, Ms. Maguire “couldn't be more proud of our teachers right now. Their effort, hours, engagement and ingenuity has been awe-inspiring. They are tired, working more hours than their normal week to make sure they give to you their ultimate best.” Times are tough, and everyone is doing what they can to make this easier. “I’ve never been so BE proud,” she added.
As June approaches, one of the main concerns that has arisen is how to celebrate the Class of 2020 which has been robbed of its final traditions and traditional celebrations at BEHS. She said that “the idea of not having the normal pomp and circumstance, and closure with our Seniors hurts my heart. For four years they’ve been ‘our kids’, how do we now thank them, celebrate them, and say goodbye?”
It’s uncertain how different things will be in September, if we go back at all. Until mid-July, it won’t be clear what consequences will have been thrust upon school in the fall. “For now,” said Ms. Maguire conclusively, “we cling to hope and revel on how well students and staff have done so far.”
As for her award, Ms. Maguire feels that this achievement does not solely belong to her. “I don’t think the recognition is just mine,” she expressed. “You don’t earn something like that without being part of a community,” which she explains includes good teachers, good leadership, good teammates, “and good kids.”
“So,” she continued, “I think we earned it; I don’t necessarily think I did… I just come and do my job every day.”
Heartfelt words from spring sports coaches
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FROM STAFF REPORTS
April, 2020 It's the middle of April and the snow is finally gone. But Bonny Eagle's fields of dreams are empty this spring since Covid-19 shut school down for the rest of the year. Senior students are feeling the greatest loss in their final season, and their coaches are also feeling their pain. Athletic Director Eric Curtis has been posting photos of senior athletes on Facebook and Twitter, but he wanted to do more to reach out to all the athletes who were deprived of their chance for competition this year. He and administrative assistant Shelley Barrows, along with athletic trainer Jenna McCurdy, came up with a script to be read by the spring coaches via video. Julie Bruni pieced the clips together into the video at right. You will smile through your tears as you listen to it. |
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Coronavirus brings abrupt end to student's exchange program
Editor's Note: Jade Brard was a member of the Eagle Times newspaper staff while she was a student at BEHS. She had hoped to finish out this year with us but was abruptly sent home to France on March 26. She will, however, continue to file stories on her experience while online learning is still in session.
BY JADE BRARD
March, 2020
I left France last Aug. 27 at 7 a.m. I remember leaving my home country with fears and questions: how will my host family be? Will I make friends? How will be Auburn, Maine? Yes Auburn, Maine. My journey before coming to Bonny Eagle High School was not smooth. My first host family let me down. I stayed with my local coordinator before finally finding the perfect match here at BEHS.
On Sept. 2, I started shadowing my host sister and started studying as a real student on Sept. 5. To be completely honest I hated every moment of the first week. I was lost, nobody talked to me, and I felt stupid every time I was talking. My life at home was not better. I missed my family, I did not know how to be part of my new family, I did not even know how to get along with my host sisters.
Now that I am reflecting back, I can gladly say that I had one of the best school years. The first couple of months were hard because I did not understand everything; I had to work really hard to improve my understanding of American values and how people interact with each other. Nevertheless, as more time passed, everything seemed easier, almost natural, like I always lived here. Everything was so natural that I forgot that I would have to go back to my home country one day.
In March, the coronavirus began to get more and more important in Europe and America. To protect their students, Greenheart, the agency that supervises us, decided to send its students back to their home countries. This is why from March 26 to March 27, I had to fly back to France (from Portland to Newark, New Jersey. Then from Newark to Frankfurt, Germany. And then from Germany to Paris).
I'm writing this as I wait for the day to come when I have to leave. By the time I am back in France I do not think the situation will be good. Already, nobody is allowed to go outside unless there is an extreme emergency, and people are quarantined in their house. The President chose to close the border to all the countries and consider more severe actions if the situation does not improve under 30 days.
Since Greenheart’s announcement, I have felt really angry at them. On top of ignoring my decision and my college’s decision of staying here, they are lying to us saying that all exchange students on the territory are traveling back to their countries. After asking some of my friends who are traveling with another company, I became disillusioned by the fact that they do not have to leave. Anger and deception reinforces that they make my flight between four airports when my mom and sister are at-risk patients and that I could contaminate them.
Having to leave so soon is painful when I have still so much to see and experience. But when I am looking back at what I did, I know that I am leaving with the best memories that I could have. I will remember how much people are different from one country to another. In France, people like to say that we turn more and more into Americans but we have two totally different cultures and ways to live, and I think that I will remember that the most. I really hope that I will be able to bring some aspects of my American life into my French life. And I know that I will miss so many things from here like school, my host family, my friends and my teachers. I made wonderful friendships and met so many amazing people for which I am so thankful.
Thank you Bonny Eagle for letting me grow and have one of the best years of my life by your side.
I will never forget you.
BY JADE BRARD
March, 2020
I left France last Aug. 27 at 7 a.m. I remember leaving my home country with fears and questions: how will my host family be? Will I make friends? How will be Auburn, Maine? Yes Auburn, Maine. My journey before coming to Bonny Eagle High School was not smooth. My first host family let me down. I stayed with my local coordinator before finally finding the perfect match here at BEHS.
On Sept. 2, I started shadowing my host sister and started studying as a real student on Sept. 5. To be completely honest I hated every moment of the first week. I was lost, nobody talked to me, and I felt stupid every time I was talking. My life at home was not better. I missed my family, I did not know how to be part of my new family, I did not even know how to get along with my host sisters.
Now that I am reflecting back, I can gladly say that I had one of the best school years. The first couple of months were hard because I did not understand everything; I had to work really hard to improve my understanding of American values and how people interact with each other. Nevertheless, as more time passed, everything seemed easier, almost natural, like I always lived here. Everything was so natural that I forgot that I would have to go back to my home country one day.
In March, the coronavirus began to get more and more important in Europe and America. To protect their students, Greenheart, the agency that supervises us, decided to send its students back to their home countries. This is why from March 26 to March 27, I had to fly back to France (from Portland to Newark, New Jersey. Then from Newark to Frankfurt, Germany. And then from Germany to Paris).
I'm writing this as I wait for the day to come when I have to leave. By the time I am back in France I do not think the situation will be good. Already, nobody is allowed to go outside unless there is an extreme emergency, and people are quarantined in their house. The President chose to close the border to all the countries and consider more severe actions if the situation does not improve under 30 days.
Since Greenheart’s announcement, I have felt really angry at them. On top of ignoring my decision and my college’s decision of staying here, they are lying to us saying that all exchange students on the territory are traveling back to their countries. After asking some of my friends who are traveling with another company, I became disillusioned by the fact that they do not have to leave. Anger and deception reinforces that they make my flight between four airports when my mom and sister are at-risk patients and that I could contaminate them.
Having to leave so soon is painful when I have still so much to see and experience. But when I am looking back at what I did, I know that I am leaving with the best memories that I could have. I will remember how much people are different from one country to another. In France, people like to say that we turn more and more into Americans but we have two totally different cultures and ways to live, and I think that I will remember that the most. I really hope that I will be able to bring some aspects of my American life into my French life. And I know that I will miss so many things from here like school, my host family, my friends and my teachers. I made wonderful friendships and met so many amazing people for which I am so thankful.
Thank you Bonny Eagle for letting me grow and have one of the best years of my life by your side.
I will never forget you.
New principal makes presence known
BY BRENNA FINN
December, 2019
It’s hard to miss our new principal, Mr. Mike Johnson, as he roams the halls of Bonny Eagle at least one block a day. The tall, slender man with a full head of gray hair pops into classes and engages with whatever lesson is going on.
Mr. Johnson brings a wealth of experience to Bonny Eagle as both a classroom teacher and a school administrator. He started his career in 1981 as a 6th grade teacher at Jack Memorial School in Buxton. He continued teaching in the district until 1988, when he transferred to Windham Middle School. Mr. Johnson taught math for eight years until he became the assistant principal in Windham. He eventually moved to Portland High School, becoming the principal for 10 years.
Mr. Johnson says he has had a smooth transition to Bonny Eagle High School so far since he took over for Mrs. Lori Napolitano upon her promotion to assistant superintendent. Members of Bonny Eagle’s community have welcomed him and are very happy to have him here.
“I think he has a great rapport with the students and staff. He works really hard to bring us all together and to make Bonny Eagle better,”says BEHS Student Council advisor Mrs. Dawna Cyr.
“I think he is super nice and has many stories to tell,” adds Zoe Peters, a senior.
Mr. Johnson is impressed with the student body and its overall positive attitude and commitment to the school. He is also content with the high quality of professional staff. There are some teachers and administrators at Bonny Eagle whom he has worked with before, including Superintendent Paul Penna, Mr. Rick Simonds, Mr. Skip Geneagal, Mr. Don Denico, and Ms. Sue Orlowski. Our computer technology teacher, Ms. Pellerin, even had him as a 6th grade teacher at Hanson Elementary School in Buxton.
Mr. Johnson says that he admires the entire school operation.
“Being a teacher, admin., custodian, lunch lady, secretary, or support staff member is equally as challenging and essential for the operation of the school,” he says.
As much as his new job here has been rewarding, it has also been challenging. Being principal at Portland High School for 10 years was a dramatically different experience. There are many immigrant and refugee services offered in Portland, he explains. Bonny Eagle does not have the opportunity to interact with a diversity of cultures.
“However, high school kids are high school kids regardless of what culture you come from or where you were born,” he says.
December, 2019
It’s hard to miss our new principal, Mr. Mike Johnson, as he roams the halls of Bonny Eagle at least one block a day. The tall, slender man with a full head of gray hair pops into classes and engages with whatever lesson is going on.
Mr. Johnson brings a wealth of experience to Bonny Eagle as both a classroom teacher and a school administrator. He started his career in 1981 as a 6th grade teacher at Jack Memorial School in Buxton. He continued teaching in the district until 1988, when he transferred to Windham Middle School. Mr. Johnson taught math for eight years until he became the assistant principal in Windham. He eventually moved to Portland High School, becoming the principal for 10 years.
Mr. Johnson says he has had a smooth transition to Bonny Eagle High School so far since he took over for Mrs. Lori Napolitano upon her promotion to assistant superintendent. Members of Bonny Eagle’s community have welcomed him and are very happy to have him here.
“I think he has a great rapport with the students and staff. He works really hard to bring us all together and to make Bonny Eagle better,”says BEHS Student Council advisor Mrs. Dawna Cyr.
“I think he is super nice and has many stories to tell,” adds Zoe Peters, a senior.
Mr. Johnson is impressed with the student body and its overall positive attitude and commitment to the school. He is also content with the high quality of professional staff. There are some teachers and administrators at Bonny Eagle whom he has worked with before, including Superintendent Paul Penna, Mr. Rick Simonds, Mr. Skip Geneagal, Mr. Don Denico, and Ms. Sue Orlowski. Our computer technology teacher, Ms. Pellerin, even had him as a 6th grade teacher at Hanson Elementary School in Buxton.
Mr. Johnson says that he admires the entire school operation.
“Being a teacher, admin., custodian, lunch lady, secretary, or support staff member is equally as challenging and essential for the operation of the school,” he says.
As much as his new job here has been rewarding, it has also been challenging. Being principal at Portland High School for 10 years was a dramatically different experience. There are many immigrant and refugee services offered in Portland, he explains. Bonny Eagle does not have the opportunity to interact with a diversity of cultures.
“However, high school kids are high school kids regardless of what culture you come from or where you were born,” he says.
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What's Inside
Click on the photos to read some of our most memorable stories of 2019-20 School year starts with sad news
Tik Tokker at BEHS
From BE to WCSH-6
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BEHS chorus and athletes
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