New Avon High Principal Kristina Dobos Buller Settles In and Sets Goals

Kristina Dobos Buller reminds herself daily that her new job as principal at Avon High School is a marathon, not a sprint.

"I want to do it all now," she said in her third week on the job since officially on August 1 after to become principal at Parma High School.

"Keeping my perspective is the most important thing," she said.

The long days preparing for August 25, the first day of school, are keeping Buller on her toes. She said she's been working an average of 15 hours a day, both at the school and at home.

With the change of a new administration comes lots of people with ideas, suggestions and concerns. Buller said that while it can be overwhelming, she knows there are good ideas that come from listening. So she listens.

While she's settling into her new job, she's also setting goals for the coming school year. Some of them are:

• Being hands-on in relationships with students and student groups like Student Council, encouraging them to set higher goals for their activities such as planning a Sept. 11 commemoration and Homecoming.
• with educators and counselors participating in the drug/alcohol segment of health classes, and being on-campus to connect students and families with needed help.
• Further opening communications with the public, staff and students. "I want people to see what our kids and staff are doing here," she said.
• Standardize midterms and final exams to help students meet state testing standards.
• Make sure the school is aware of and can provide support to students in difficult situations outside of school, such as a parent out of work, or facing foreclosure on their home. "Avon hasn't been immune to what's going on everywhere," Buller said.
• Add a biomedical engineering program through Lorain County Community College. The program would target students interested in medical careers such as nursing. The school already has a similar engineering program.
• Increase participation in Lorain County JVS. "It's a wonderful program, and can help students get a head start," she said. "I don't know if people are aware of all the great opportunities there."