BY BECKY KISER
Hays Post

“I probably won’t be giving quite as many ‘high-fives’ in the hallways. These students might look at me a little strangely.”

The new principal at Thomas More Prep Marian junior and senior high school, Chad Meitner, moved his family from Dodge City to Hays this past weekend.

Meitner most recently served as principal of Sacred Heart Grade School in Dodge City and says he’s been looking forward to working with older students. He also plans to spend some time in the TMP classrooms.

“I think the first goal–when you’re new–you want to come in and learn a lot about the people, about the culture, the people, the traditions, so I need to be a student first and learn about those,” Meitner said.

“My underlying philosophy, which is the foundation for a lot of our goals and they’re the same that TMP has had for quite awhile, is that we need to be focused on the whole student. Their spiritual well-being, their mental well-being, their physical well-being, and their academic process–we can’t necessarily neglect one or the other when we do that.

“My goal is to get an idea of the teachers’ styles in the classrooms, and I need to get in the classrooms every day and watch lessons–be a part of that–and find out how I can help. My job is to help the teachers, help the parents, and help the staff–to help the students. That all flows down to them–the students–they’re the reason we’re here.

“Those goals, although they’re not very specific, those are the goals that are behind the foundations of all our decisions at TMP,” Meitner added.

The first full day of classes for TMP-Marian and Holy Family Elementary school was Wednesday.

Meitner takes over for Kathy Taylor, who filled the role the past two academic years as interim principal.