The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Principal Player: Larry Laird will leave his stuffed ram (in background) for his successor at Willow Glen Middle School.

Middle School principal leaves classroom for district office job

By Christine Frey

Like a child on the first day of school, Larry Laird is a little nervous about what the next year will bring. The Willow Glen Middle School principal was recently promoted to director of certified personnel for the San Jose Unified School District. For the first time in 29 years, Laird will be away from the classroom.

"Not having kids around, not having bells, not having to worry about the weather at lunch [and] not having to deal with seagulls will be the most interesting things," he laughed, sitting in his old office at the middle school.

Laird has worked at Education Park--the site of both Willow Glen Middle School and Willow Glen High School--for seven years. When the two schools were under the same administration, he was assistant principal at the high school for two years and associate principal at the middle school for three years. After the schools became independent of each other last year, he filled the newly created position of middle school principal.

Laird said he has always been interested in human resources. A few years ago he attended a personnel academy taught by the Association of California School Administrators. When he heard of the district's opening, he thought it would be a great challenge. "Learning is a lifetime experience," he said.

However, others were disappointed to see Laird move on. Kris Buchanan, vice president of the middle school's PTA, said Laird was always very receptive to the concerns she had with her two children. "I'm not looking forward to change," she said. "I wish he was staying. We had great luck with him."

But, Laird asserts that he is not deserting the school. "Even though I'm going to the district, I still care about Willow Glen Middle School." Laird's stuffed Willow Glen ram--the school's mascot--sits in the principal's office. He said he is leaving the toy for the new principal

Laird, who is currently working part time at the middle school and part time at the district, said he will stay at the school until the new principal assumes the position. Then Laird will have to be accustomed to office life. "That'll be a strange feeling when school starts," he said. "I may have to sneak away and visit some schools."

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