Construction is causing challenges, but all should be set to go on time
One is a new face and one is a familiar face, but they are united in their vision for what Healdsburg High School is and what it can become. Bill Halliday who is taking over as principal after a five-year stint at the helm of the junior high and Anna Koval, who is new to the role of administrator and is vice principal, are currently housed, along with the rest of the office staff, in the music room at the high school.
Due to the extensive summer construction, makeshift desks sit among drums and tubas, and they all keep hardhats handy for moving around the school. But, they say they are ready for whatever challenges lie ahead.
Halliday came on board first. “I’ve been in the district for five years, and I love working here,” he said. “But I feel very strongly that administrators have a window of effectiveness and I felt like after five years at the middle school, it was starting to be time to think about what’s next. A big part of my concern about what was next is I didn’t want to leave the district. I really love working here and there are so many positive dynamics and supports of working for HUSD that I was nervous about what next might lead me away. When this opportunity opened up at the high school I talked to (Superintendent Chris Vanden Heuvel) and the board immediately and expressed my interest in moving over to the high school as principal.”
Vanden Heuvel convened a fact finding mission, talking with members of the high school community. Halliday was gratified to learn that most were in favor of the move, and with that knowledge, Vanden Heuvel and the board felt empowered to make the posting without conducting a larger search.
Bringing Koval to the table would prove more challenging. Though the job fitted her ambitions to a tee, a personal challenge almost meant she didn’t apply.
“This was a goal, it was actually written into my professional goals last year when I was a teacher coach at SCOE that I would pursue an administrative credential so I could better understand the challenges of site based leadership — working on sites, with teachers and administrators, and walk a mile in their shoes.”
Koval was recruited to apply, but her mother had just been diagnosed with a serious and rare brain tumor. “I just didn’t feel like it was the right thing to do, so I just said, ‘thanks but I’m going to pass for now,’ but then two months later, ya’ll were still looking.”
“Anna came in to the picture in round six of assistant principal interviews,” said Halliday. “We were looking for a spark. Somebody who lit up the room, somebody who had something unique and different and an energy to bring to the school … but we didn’t feel like we have found that fit we were looking for until Anna came into the room.”
Koval had been working as a coach to several HHS faculty members the year previously, so she had their enthusiastic endorsement. Koval’s mother had come through surgery well, and encouraged her daughter to go for it.
With the “dream team” (as Director of Curriculum Erin Fender purportedly calls them. “No pressure,” jokes Koval) in place it was time to focus on their goals for the coming school year. There are nine new teachers at HHS for the fall, along with the new administrators, so it’s no surprise that a lot of their goals focus on team building, collegiality and to “listen more than we talk.”
But there is the very real and concrete goal of getting construction done in time for the opening day of school, which is looming large. “Another goal is just to have a smooth start to the year in the midst of construction,” Holliday said. “We want to be reminding everybody about what an incredibly enhanced district we are thanks to our bond monies and the construction, but it does come with some inconveniences. So, it’s about managing those inconveniences and keeping our eyes on the big picture, which is a much better facility and services to our student that previously. It’s worth the hassle.”
It’s clear that Halliday and Koval are working well together and have a strong sense of mutual admiration for one another.
“What I see from my new partner is a great attention to detail, a lot of heart, a lot of innovative and creative ideas, and a real familiarity with how to enhance instruction and support teachers,” Halliday said of Koval.
“What I see in my colleague is someone who is beloved by pretty much everyone around here — staff, students, families. I see someone who is very thoughtful, who asks big questions, hard questions and is comfortable at not answering them overly quickly. A big picture person. And he seems to have quite a huge heart. He cares about the whole human, be it a parent, a student, a secretary, a teacher, a school board member.
Halliday blushes and mumbles a little, “Big softie.”
“And you can quote him on that, I’ve heard him say that more than once,” Koval said with a smile.
