Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Poole moves to Prescott Elmentary School

Robert Poole has a new office and new duties in the Prescott School System. Poole, formerly a football coach at Prescott High School, is now the Prescott Elementary School Assistant Principal and Federal Programs Coordinator. The position became available after Kathie Janes, former assistant principal, accepted a position as principal at McRae Middle School.

Poole said the change was a positive move and was better for his family, but admitted that hell miss the bonding that goes on between players and coaches.

Poole and his wife, Chady, have two children. Carston is 3 and Caytlee is 8 months. Poole said he arrived home one night from a ball game and realized that it was late. He said he knew that he was missing out on the lives of his children, and that he would feel that more intensely as the children got older and became in involved in activities.

Kids really do change you, Poole said. I just want to be with them when I can.

Poole says he sees his first and biggest challenge as finding ways to keep Benchmark exam scores high.

Mrs. Janes and Mrs. (Janet) Gordon did an excellent job here last year, Poole said.

Its a momentum he hopes to see continuing, but said theres plenty of work required to make it happen. In Pooles opinion, that success starts at the top. He said Mrs. Gordon has to be certain teachers are on track and have what they need in order to impart the knowledge to their students. Then teachers have to work together and to find ways to reach the kids.

If I had a magic answer to that, Id write a book, Poole said.

Poole said the district has made services available to help in that area. Tutors are ready to help after school and paraprofessionals work with students during school hours. The goal is to help those students who are having trouble with a particular concept or subject to catch up.

PES Principal Janet Gordon said shes known Poole since he was in elementary school.

Im very excited to have him here, Gordon said. I think hes going to be very important to our school.

Gordon said Poole is filling an important gap in the school - that of a male role model. The number of male teachers and administrators at the elementary school is very limited and Gordon said having Poole on campus is positive for the children.

I think its very important to have male role models in the building, Gordon said.

In addition, she said she believes Poole will become an effective administrator.

He knows hes young and has a lot to learn, she said. Hes anxious to learn everything he can about curriculum and is willing to do anything he needs to do.

Poole said theres no doubt that he misses the comradery that naturally occurs during coaching.

You build so much with those kids, he said. You work with them and you see them grow and you see it pay off on Friday night. Thats rewarding.

But he expects that hell find the same thing on a different level with the students at the elementary school.

In coaching, you want to win but you want the kids to be successful in life, Poole said. At the elementary level, Were preparing them to lead in the future.

Poole said there are some things he definitely wont miss. The frequent sunburns on his head is one of those.

The climates a lot better here than outside today, he said with a smile.