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EDUCATION
Wakarusa, Northridge educators get district honors
Those around him say Plymouth High School Principal Jim Condon's strength is his ability to build relationships and lead in collaborative efforts.
Condon, too, keeps his focus on the kids. "It keeps you young," Condon said.
Condon, in his eighth year at Plymouth High School and his 21st as a principal, Sunday was named Indiana high school principal of the year by the Indiana School Principals Association. He earlier had been named top high school principal in District 2 which includes Elkhart, St. Joseph, Starke, Marshall, Pulaski, Fulton, LaPorte and Kosciusko counties. There are 12 districts in the state.
"This is not an individual award," Condon said of the honor he also received in 2008. "It's reflective of the very strong relations and efforts of the students, faculty and parents. We're blessed that our students come to school with their main goal to learn and are challenged to do their best."
Social studies teacher David Hatcher described Condon as a "great communicator."
"He is able to share our corporation's goals and directions in a manner that breeds uniformity, intrigue and excitement," Hatcher said. He's a great listener, too, Hatcher said.
Condon said his biggest challenge is "increasing expectations and demands coupled with a continual shrinking bed of resources and budget available."
The high school has been rated as one of the top high schools in Indiana by U.S. New & World, ranking 12th in the state and being a silver medalist for the second time this year. The school also received an "A" from state in school accountability the last two years.
Condon has been instrumental in the development of digital and project-based learning, dual credit courses and establishment of other new programs to help students become more prepared as the job market and the skills needed transition.
A former business education teacher at high schools in Indiana and Illinois, Condon came to Plymouth in 2007 after serving 12 years as Knox High School's principal.
Wakarusa
Wakarusa Elementary School Principal John Payne also puts his students first, said Chris Baldridge, instructional coach.
He was named 2014 District 2 Elementary Principal of the Year by the IASP.
Payne is in his third year at Wakarusa Elementary and his ninth as an administrator. He previously worked as a principal and an assistant principal for six years in the Elkhart Community Schools and taught seven years in LaVille.
“I love interacting with the kids,” said Payne, who is known for spending time on the playground and in classrooms. “One of the most enjoyable parts is helping students raise achievement levels.”
“As a parent, seeing the principal greet students every day, and even go as far to walk them in with an umbrella on rainy days, as well as stand out at dismissal to say goodbye, shows what a caring personality he has,” said Sarah Davies, a mother of two students in the school. Also a kindergarten teacher in Wakarusa, she noted, that under his guidance, test scores have increased — difficult since scores already were high.
Said Payne, “I have been extremely blessed to work with people always giving their best for the children. It’s a team effort."
Plymouth High School principal James Condon Sunday was named Indiana high school principal of the year for 2014 by the Indiana Association of School Principals. Three other area educators are among those named principal and assistant principal of the year within their districts for 2014 by the IASP. They are Wakarusa Elementary Principal John Payne and, in Middlebury, Northridge Middle School Principal Robby Goodman and Assistant Principal Mark Snyder.