Brian Ellis, now a Dr. Ellis, runs the school as the principal. Photo courtesy of http://www.yshs.k12.pa.us/Portals/0/Buildings/High%20School/Ellis/Ellis.jpg
The principal of YSHS had great news to announce; he now owns the title of Doctor. No, not a medical doctor, but the doctorate degree. Instead of being addressed as Mr. Ellis, he now goes by Dr. Ellis.
The job of being a principal is quite a unique job for Dr. Ellis. One day, he’ll be visiting classes, the next sitting at his desk answering phone calls and e-mails, or sitting in meetings with other administrators, parents, and students.
“I enjoy my job. I honestly can’t think of another thing I would enjoy doing as much as being [York Suburban High School’s] principal,” said Ellis. He said he loves mathematics and computer science, and he would enjoy being an actuary or computer engineer -but there’s something about coming to a school like YSHS each day and working with the staff and students each day.
“I can’t imagine being able to replicate it anywhere else.” He said it is rewarding to know that every day, he is working to support students and to help them achieve a better position for their lives ahead.
On some days, his work becomes a hard task. “But that’s part of life. The hard task is working with these people to find common ground and work together to create a better school for an individual student or for all the students.” His job invariably puts him in a position opposing other people such as teachers, parents, students, and sometimes principals.
“It’s 95% pros and just a few cons.” The pros to his job are working every day with great students and teachers, focusing everyday on helping the school continue its’ tradition while also developing a vision of how we can do even better. Ellis said, “I get to be one of YS’s biggest fans.” Working with difficult students or parents is a con to him, but there are very few of those in the school system. The biggest con for Ellis is that he really misses the day-to-day teaching. He loved teaching math and computer science and often thinks about what it would be like to be back in the classroom.