Welcome Principal for a Day

Sergeant Dino Heckermann

Each year School District U-46 hosts a variety of community leaders and businessmen and women to become the Principal for a Day (PFAD)  at each of our schools. The event is a way to "show off" all of the wonderful things our schools are doing, creates partnerships, and to help us to form a vital connection to the communities that we reside in. 

Principal for a Day, Sergeant Dino Heckermann worked very hard from the moment he arrived. He started the day greeting students and doing the morning announcements and there were lots of them!  Armonie Spencer waits patiently to give the PBIS announcements as well. She is just one of the many student leaders at Glenbrook.

The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) spent about 30 minutes at breakfast with Principal Sergeant Heckermann.  The students shared all of their favorite things about Glenbrook including the many clubs and leadership opportunities that they have experienced.  Additionally, they shared their struggles with the volumes of testing they is required of them.  Although Principal Sergeant Heckermann couldn't solve all of the issues, he was very impressed by the students level of engagement at Glenbrook.

 Principal Sergeant Heckermann spent much of the morning visiting classrooms and touring the school.  The Kindergarten and First Graders really enjoyed the book, The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak.  The book required our Principal for a Day to make lots of funny sounds and say some really unusual things, which couldn't have been funnier!

The students in 4th and 6th grade enjoyed interviewing Principal Sergeant Heckermann. He told them many stories about his time as a police officer and about the training he needed to become one.  The Principal for a Day also shared advice about the importance of working hard, having goals, and being kind.  "--- always treat others as you would like to be treated," he advised. 

The day wouldn't be complete without a visit to the lunchroom and spending some time out on the playground.  The students were very excited to see our Principal for a Day visit with them while they ate.  He received many questions and fist bumps as he roamed around the space. 

Principal Sergeant Heckermann and I ended our day with the other 59 PFAD's at Villa Olivia where Marco, a leading technology services provider,sponsored a luncheon.  Beth Purvis, the former Illinois Secretary of Education, spoke eloquently about the importance of the advocacy work that was done on behalf of all Illinois Schools by CEO Tony Sanders.  She stressed the need for community partnerships and how we can all support schools across the state.