Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Janes takes MMS helm

Katie Janes has moved into the principals office at McRae Middle

School, though her presence has spilled over into the front office and the hallway. Janes said it took a couple of days for her to move all her office belongings to MMS, and admitted to being excited and nervous about the coming school year.

Janes was selected to be MMS principal after the retirement of Jamye Barnes at the end of the 2006-07 school year. Janes was the previous assistant principal and federal programs coordinator at Prescott Elementary School.

She admits that her office may not be the typical administration office, but said theres a reason.

I want it to be comfortable and inviting, she said. Ive always wanted my students to have a deep love for what they do. Its very important to be happy in your job.

She said she hopes that she sets that example.

Janes and her sister, PES teacher Wendy Ward, spent a great deal of their youth in Prescott where they were raised by their grandparents.

So I call Prescott home, she said.

After college, she took a teaching job in Wilmott, located in southeast Arkansas. She married her husband, Tommy, who is now a paraprofessional with the Prescott School District. She taught there for 20 years, teaching fourth through sixth graders. She then moved to Pulaski School District where she worked as a math and literacy coach.

When Prescott advertised for the PES position, she applied and returned to Prescott to fill that spot. At the end of last year, she accepted the MMS principals position and Robert Poole moved in to the PES assistant principals slot.

Janes said shes been told that her biggest challenge will be discipline. Though she sees that as vital, she said she thinks she has an even bigger task ahead.

I think its going to be to motivate the students to continue their success, she said.

Janes said teachers and students have worked hard over the past few years to bring up test scores and meet state education requirements, and said finding ways to encourage that trend could be difficult.

Janes pointed to the excitement of a kindergarten student, and said she wants to find ways to instill that same excitement into the students at MMS.

Janes recalled her own childhood when she thought she might want to go into politics, or be a surgeon, or a mother of 12. She said it was a friend who suggested that all those things had something in common - the fact that shed be continually teaching.

In the back of my mind, I was going to teach others, she said.

On the subject of discipline, Janes said she believes there must be consistency, but that it must be fair for the individuals as well.

Anyone can be a dictator, she said. A great leader has to inspire.

She said she believes some people see her as mean, while others think shes a pushover.

Business is business, and we have a job to do, she said. Discipline is a necessary part of that job.

She said students must understand that school is their job. High expectations prompted Janes to do well and she said she hopes to pass those expectations along to students at her school.

How do I get them to love to come to school? she asked. I want them to want to be here.

She said she will support her teaching staff because they deserve that support. And she said she hopes to always remember that parents are entrusting the care and education of their children to teachers at MMS.

Im for the adults, Janes said. But I love children. Thats why Im here.

She said she sees MMS as a family.

An extended family, yes, but a family. We should bond like a family. Were in this together.

Janes said she believes herself to be fortunate in her career.

A lot of people dont get to do what they like to do, she said. I get to do a job I love and get paid for it.