By Sherrill Gerard

Meet the New “Mayor of the City of Arlington Heights”!

Fellow Heightsters, rest easy. There’s a new principal on the hill and things are under control.  It is not an enviable position, considering the bad press and unfortunate issues of the past.  Jason Oliver is not one to dwell on the mistakes of the past. He has a larger-than-life presence, relaxed ease, firm handshake, looks you in the eye. He is the first to admit, “There’s no gray area for me. It’s black or white.” His office is full of model ships, keepsakes and photos of family and students. He is apparently something of a technology junkie; a smart phone, iPad, laptop and desktop computer are close at hand. You are not likely to find him closed up in his office, but in the hall talking with students or visiting classrooms. You have probably seen him at a football game, or just as likely at Central Market or your neighborhood Target. He is a FWISD parent. He cares about kids and their success, and he is thrilled to be at Heights.

Mr. Oliver first came to Heights to take the SATs as a junior from Peaster High School. He says he could sense the history and tradition in the building and thought then it would be neat to work there.  He went to TCU and began teaching in FWISD, then moved into administration. As fate would have it, he eventually found his way back to Heights, and he plans to be around a while.

The new school year started a little rough, but as soon as expectations were established, policies stated, and it became known that consequences were being imposed, things have gone well.  Serious discipline matters are not just relegated to vice principals; students in big trouble see the man himself. Issues are discussed, quarrels resolved, and punishment meted out appropriately and fairly. The dress code is really being enforced, not just stated. A new tardy policy incorporates the use of good old lunch detention. The result? Fewer tardies! These kids are serious about their lunch breaks!

Yes, there are still academic challenges, and as Mr. Oliver says, “There is no reason Heights should not be the top school in the District, why it could not be a model for others.”   Having come from a FWISD middle school in which he affected a complete turnaround (lowest TAKS scores in the district, to highest) in only a few years, apparently he knows how to make it happen.  One of the biggest factors in this turnaround was changing attitudes and helping students and parents understand that middle school and high school are only milestones on the way to bigger and better things. It is providing a purpose for doing well. 

There is a “re-focus” on building relationships at Heights. Mr. Oliver has stated, “I want students to be known, to feel valued, and to be inspired.”  He expects faculty and staff to follow suit. He has plans to visit feeder middle schools and get to know incoming 8th graders so they already feel they belong when they arrive on the first day of 9th grade.  He has an open-door policy and encourages students, parents and alumni to call or stop by. He is happy to explain things when folks “wonder what in the world he is doing”.  He tries to deal with students and parents the way he expects teachers and administrators to treat his children and him as a parent.

In the course of our visit, the words, “The Heights Experience” came up often.  Mr. Oliver emphasizes the importance of offering opportunities for fun and meaningful activities in addition to a high level of academic instruction.  On this particular day, the Red Cross was holding a blood drive, and there was a race car on the front sidewalk. The instructional schedule for the next two days has been shifted to accommodate for, “Powder Puff for United Way” and the Homecoming Parade (rescheduled from early October).  On a nearby table sits the “Battle for the Brick” trophy that was presented to Heights following its win over Western Hills, waiting for the first plate to be engraved.    We discussed the upcoming Dance program event and our off-campus FFA facility. How many other schools in FWISD can brag of both an award-winning dance program and FFA chapter?  None.  Do we know of any other schools in town whose recent valedictorian is going to MIT on a baseball scholarship? No.  Other items in our favor: a student-centered approach to leadership; a “real world” blend of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds among students and staff, similar to what students will experience in college and in the workplace; a focus on campus safety; and an emphasis on respect for students, staff and policies.

For those of you who have followed the bond work:  The contractor replaced the stolen yellow jacket weather vane just after school started. Blue lights have been added to the tower and shine to celebrate victories.  The baseball field work was completed in the spring. Completion of installation of the final batch of lockers has been projected for early November. The final bond work will be the completion of extensive electrical work.  Existing security cameras will be swapped out for digital cameras that record constantly and are monitored by computer.   Another safety measure Mr. Oliver hopes to have installed before this time next year is student id/card key entry for exterior doors other than the front doors. He says it is an expensive but important step to increase safety by limiting unauthorized access into the building.

As I prepared to leave, Mr. Oliver said to tell you, “Look at Heights as if it’s a big beautiful ship. This big beautiful ship got a little off course, and we need to get it back on course. Since it’s so big it’s going to take a while to get it turned around.” I think the kids are going to have a great experience along the way!