Over the past few years, the school’s administrators have kept changing. For the most part, there have only been additions to the staff. Yet, this is Mr. Nelson’s last year before he’s the new principal at Weston high school. Of course, there will be a new assistant principal to fill his position. Regardless, Nelson and the other administrators have all been fairly prominent around school this year, so many students will probably notice the difference. Nelson said, “I’ve made a lot of connections with the students here,” and “I’ve enjoyed working with Mr. Beckley, other administrators, students, and staff.”

While at Weston, Mr. Nelson plans to work towards a positive change in the school. Nelson said, “I would like to take the stigma of Weston as an alternative school away.” Rather than viewing Weston as a place for flunkies at AHS, he wants to make it a school that students will want to attend for a different type of public education. Mr. Nelson has taught at Weston before, which will help him make a positive first impression. He said, “I know the student audience at Weston and I want to continue the work that the current principal has started around project-based learning.” Project-based learning is essentially turning the classroom environment into a more hands-on experience. This approach is appealing for those who find it difficult to learn in the way standard classes are driven. Nelson said, “a traditional classroom setting would not be the norm.”

Mr. Nelson will also try to create a more focused curriculum for students. His experience as an assessment coordinator has allowed him to observe what is and is not helping students progress. This has led him to favor interim assessments. These assessments will measure what a student already knows and what teachers will need to go over. The idea behind this is to center the curriculum around what students don’t know, rather than going over unnecessary material that they have already learned. Nelson said, “it’s streamlining your learning.”

Mr. Nelson will try to maintain his appearance around AHS, mainly in the form of  school events. Since many students at Weston once attended AHS, it is essential for Nelson to maintain a presence at both schools. His hope is that this will allow him to be “visible and helping.” All of this coincides with Mr. Nelson’s focus on “working to continue developing a positive school culture.”