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Retiring at the end of this term, Heather Howell has spent 10 of her 27 years in education as the principal of Aromas School. As she began the process of finding Howell’s replacement, Aromas-San Juan Unified School District Superintendent Barbara Dill-Varga reflected on her tenure.
“Heather knows all of her students by name,” Dill-Varga said, “and they know her. She has helped to solidify Aromas School as innovative and forward-looking, with a very cohesive staff and huge parent engagement. The Home School Club is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
“Almost without exception,” she said about a recent parent-teacher survey, “the comments people were making about Heather were terrific. It was clear they were just hoping to find someone who would be like her and continue her legacy.”
BenitoLink sat down with Howell on March 11 for an interview that covered her career at Aromas School, the changes and challenges of the last 10 years and her hopes for her students’ futures.
BenitoLink: How did your tenure at the school begin?
Heather Howell: During my first year, I focused on making observations. One thing was that the staff wanted to turn an empty space into a habitat area. Teachers got involved, and different grade levels took responsibility for different sections. We had a butterfly habitat for the third grade, a desertscape for the fourth grade, and wild grass for the sixth grade. There’s a mountain meadow and a bamboo forest. Our teachers use the area as an outdoor learning space, and it’s now a part of our culture.
How have things changed over the last 10 years with curriculum and programs?
The biggest change is that we now have a district-adopted curriculum. When I arrived, it was a mishmash. Teachers in the same grade were often using different materials. We’ve moved to a process where teachers have a voice in choosing and piloting materials. We realized some of our materials weren’t technology-friendly. We’ve since adopted materials with strong tech components, but I love seeing classrooms where students aren’t on computers. We are working to find a balance where the kids are getting the things they need, the teacher is doing direct instruction, kids are using manipulatives, and they can also work outside.
Why is it important for kids to have hands-on activities rather than just sitting at a computer?
Studies show that looking at a computer all day isn’t good for the brain. Kids need to explore and create with their hands. Our new librarian, Alyssa Lund, is amazing at this. During recess, she has little maker-space boxes in the library for the kids to use on projects. So if they don’t want to be outside, they can go inside, and they’re creating
We lost a lot of that creativity and socialization during COVID. We now have a visual and performing arts specialist in the district who works with teachers to integrate art into the curriculum. We recently had a fantastic art exhibition where every child had a piece on display. We’re also hoping a music program at San Juan will eventually trickle up to us. These are important things for our kiddos who struggle with academics.
What were the challenges of making it through the COVID pandemic?
We were not prepared. We had to scramble to get the kids online. It was even a process of how the teachers would do that. Fortunately, Graniterock continued its donations even though its Rock and Run event didn’t happen that year, and we used those funds to buy computers for everyone.
Then we faced internet access issues. Some families lived in “white spaces” with sketchy or no internet. The district and the Rotary Club parked buses in certain areas to serve as Wi-Fi hotspots, so parents could drive their kids there to do schoolwork in the car.
Attendance was also challenging. Kids would get online in pajamas, hide, only show the tops of their eyes, or point the cameras at their ceiling fans. When we moved to a hybrid model, we had to divide students into groups who came in on alternating days and disinfect classrooms every night. I have to say the district did a really good job of making sure that our kids got fed during that time.
How did this impact grades and socialization?
I think we are still feeling it. Our current fifth graders were in kindergarten during the lockdown. They missed crucial years of learning how to share, behave in a classroom, be nice, and be back in school. I would say the socialization was probably the hardest thing because even when we came back, we were still separated. We had to have that 6-foot distance. We bought blue outdoor tables specifically so they could eat together with that space between them.
How did the school come back from that?
We do a lot of social-emotional work. Teachers hold class meetings with prompts to get kids talking. I also record a daily morning video to announce birthdays, give shoutouts to students’ achievements, and share “words of wisdom” to remind them to be respectful, responsible, safe, and kind, because those are our school rules here. We now have a counselor here four days a week and a mental health therapist on the fifth day. This support has been a huge improvement.
Do you get a sense of what drives a child’s disruptive urge?
There is a lot we don’t know, but our staff works hard to understand our families’ situations. Often, we don’t know what is happening at home. We might know their home life isn’t ideal, but not what’s really going on there unless the kid tells us or something happens. Often, when parents are getting divorced, we don’t find out until much later. We think, “Oh, maybe that’s why he was struggling for so long.” We have resources here now and tell them, “Let us help you.”
How do you address the challenges faced by homeless students?
We do the best we can. Our Court Appointed Special Advocates [CASA] program allows for early drop-offs, so the parents who have to get to work super early now have a place for their kids to go. We are making sure that they eat breakfast and lunch. Some of the kids like taking food home. We let them because we don’t always know if they will have dinner.
Some parents say they don’t want the help. They might be embarrassed or have had poor experiences with schools in the past—maybe not trust the school or know how to navigate it. I think they are grateful for a safe place for their kids.
Are the challenges for students greater now than they were 10 years ago?
Yes, I think they are greater, largely due to social media. We have a strict no cellphone policy during the day, but students are on them the second they walk out. They absorb so much negativity online. I give presentations to middle schoolers on digital citizenship and cyberbullying, warning them that anything they post can be distorted or used against them. If social media issues affect what happens at school, it becomes a school problem.
Why are you leaving?
I’m at an age where there are things I want to do. I want to travel—I’m booking a trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. I’m a tennis player and want to attend all the Grand Slams, like Wimbledon and the French Open. Also, my mother is 86 and has some health issues, and I want to spend time with her.
I’m going to miss it here. The kids are awesome, the staff is awesome, and the parents are great. We have a nice little learning community here, so whoever replaces me will walk into a very sweet situation.
What do you see as your legacy here?
When I came here, there really wasn’t a community. The staff really hadn’t come together and just didn’t seem to be cohesive. I’ve tried to set up a structure that is consistent yet flexible. Our Home and School Club is now incredibly involved. I think my legacy is giving people the opportunity to do what they are good at and making Aromas a place where people want to be. I even had to turn people away last year because there was no room.
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