We interviewed Mr. Simmons, the principal of our school, to talk about how the first two weeks of school were going. We met with him in his office to hear what he had to say.

Mr. Simmons said he expected the new students to be “deer in headlights” on the first days of school because they usually are not prepared for all that a new school year brings. He was excited to start the new year, but he also knows that we can’t be perfectly ready for anything.

The 7th graders are transitioning so he expects them to be a little confused, but this is the second year the 8th graders have been here so he expects them to be better role models and help out. Mr. Simmons also introduced new rules for our school to be successful.

At the end of the day, the kids are dismissed out of their 8th period classroom by bus number. Another rule, he stated, was the overflow in the cafeteria. Once all the tables are filled up, students will sit in the hallways until the bell. He said due to the chaos, these rules will make it “a lot quieter”. The last rule is to limit time for passing periods. Each student got a locker for their belongings and are not allowed to keep bags in the classroom.

The students get a five minute passing period to get their books/folders and get to their next class. It is very important that students get to class on time since class periods are only 45 minutes long. “You get more out of school if you’re in class, then when you’re out of class,” Said Simmons. You should also get to class on time because you only get one warning.

The goals for Dobie that were set by Mr. Simmons are very high. He wanted to create a better learning environment for our students. With all the hard work the students do, he is looking forward for our school to achieve a 90% or higher on this years STAAR test. Another goal for our school is to get a high attendance average. “We want a 97% or higher average for the school year,” said Simmons. He also thinks that communication with students, parents, and the community should be better. He wants everyone to feel comfortable around their fellow students.

Mr. Simmons is very prepared for a great year. We believe that the rules and goals for the year are good choices for our school. To wrap up the interview, we asked Mr. Simmons “Are you ready for a good year?” He responded with, “Yes I am. This is going to be an exciting year for Dobie! GO COUGARS!”