Who’s the new guy?

October 1, 2009 • Jordan Beightel, News Editer  
Filed under News

Five thirty a.m, the fog rolls around his ankles as he stretches on the curb before jogging in the still darkness of morning. After jogging, he drives the entire hour from Olathe to Holton. He walks in the school; it’s a new day as principal at Holton High.

Every morning thirty-one-year-old John Ernst gets up super early to jog.

“A big stress reliever for me is exercise,” Ernst said.

Because his wife, Heidi, recently had their second child, she wants to stay in Olathe so she can see the same doctors. Ernst said he doesn’t mind the drive; most students said they are glad he is making the trip.

“I think it’s really cool that our principal is young,” Jenny Wassenberg, sophomore, said. “It’s like he’s more in tune with us and what we like, and where we hang out, and what we do.”

According to Ernst, Holton High School is one of the most personable, friendly, and open schools he’s been to.

“I’m very lucky with the staff here. They’re all really nice and wanted to help me and make sure I was doing okay,” Ernst said.

The ladies in the office said Ernst has a great sense of humor and is really easy to get along with. They also note that they don’t see him much because he loves to be out interacting with the students and is always anywhere but his office.

“I’ve been very impressed with him because of his interactions with both students and teachers,” Randall Bond, vocal music instructor said. “He seems to be very interested in all aspects of the school and supportive of fine arts.”

In addition to supporting the academic, fine arts, sports and his staff, Ernst is there for the students.

“I’ve had a lot of tough situations and I’ve gotten some of the best advice. He’s really there for his students,” Audra Nelson, junior, said.

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