Duffy honored as elementary principal of the year

Patrick Duffy enters the halls of Hesston Elementary School when the sun has yet to peek over the horizon.

He enters the dark, empty school an hour and a half before everyone else arrives so he can get his paperwork done — part of his job as principal he says he doesn’t really like.

He wakes at this early hour so he can spend the rest of the day concentrating on his true passion — helping students and teachers.

After the paperwork is done, he heads out the entrance of the school to welcome parents and students — even on blustery days like Friday when the temperatures dipped into the thirties and children’s scarf’s whipped in the wind.

Duffy’s dedication to his profession, colleagues and students was recently recognized when he was named as the Kansas Principal of the Year by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

Duffy was chosen from principals from all over the state to represent the association at its national convention in Washington, D.C.

Duffy started out as a physical education teacher in Olathe, where he taught for 16 years.

Duffy is a graduate of Bethany College in Lindsborg. He said he always thought it would be nice to return to the area.

So after finishing his master’s degree at Kansas State University, he took over as principal at Hesston Elementary School, where he has been the administrator for 17 years. Duffy estimates he has taught or been the principal for an estimated 13,000 students during his career.

“I think without a doubt, it is a fun and exciting way to spend a day. There is a lot of excitement around youth. It is pretty energizing,” Duffy said.

Duffy said he continues to grow as he works with children.

“I don’t take that for granted,” he said. “It is very rewarding and fulfilling. I get a lot back in return.”

Duffy is not the kind to spend his day sitting behind a desk.

He likes to spend most of his day “making his rounds,” he said. He visits every classroom to wish the children good morning, and he helps the children celebrate their birthdays.

He sits in on classes, observes and tries to offer teachers suggestions on instruction strategies.

“They don’t know that I am there,” he said. “I am just another teacher.”

Duffy also spends Friday morning teaching reading to kindergarten students. He said it keeps him grounded in the teaching.

Duffy said he doesn’t like to have teachers spending time sitting in mindless meetings talking about bus schedules. He said he prefers to focus on meaningful techniques for improving instruction. Educators at the school have spent almost a decade perfecting team learning situations.

Duffy has hired all but one of the teachers at Hesston Elementary.

“I try to surround myself with the brightest and smartest people I can interact with,” he said. “It is fun when you are around people who are successful. It’s contagious.”

Duffy said he tried to make his school work like a family.

“The school has a real sense of community. That is not an accident. We operate and function like a family. I try to surround myself with people who are hungry to learn.

“I would rather have a teacher who is hungry to learn than one who wants to teach.”

Duffy’s formula has been successful.

Since the state has been giving its current assessments, Hesston Elementary School has achieved Standard of Excellence Awards for every grade in every subject expect for one class.

Consistently, 90 percent or more of Hesston’s students have scored at standard or above.

Those percentages, put Hesston more than 15 points above benchmarks set by the state.

Some educators say the goal for 100 percent of students to be at grade level by 2014 is not possible, but Duffy said it is imperative schools try to meet the challenge.

“What kids do you not want to make it on? Do you want it to be your child? Our goal is to get everyone of them there,” Duffy said.

Although Duffy said scoring well on state assessments is important, it is not the most important thing he hopes his students will take from their early education.

“I want them to have a feeling of community and family. I want them to have the skills to interact with and enjoy each other’s company. If they can interact in a community, they can do well in their academic and professional lives. They can do well in their families. As they grow up, they have a foundation for everything.”