I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. McCune on behalf of him being the new principal. I asked questions regarding his new position at the school, and topics based on his faith and responsibility while being in charge of the entire high school. Here are the questions I’ve asked, and his responses.

Sydney:  how has your job gotten busier since you’ve become principal from assistant principal? 

Mr. McCune: I have to be in a lot more meetings this year that cover a wide array of topics, which takes time away from being able to cross things off my list.  

Sydney: What led you to pursue a career in Christian education?

Mr. McCune: When I was in summer camp, my counselor was the one who taught me how to pray and what it meant to dedicate his life to Christ.  He had a profound impact on me, and I wanted to be able to do the same for kids.  

Sydney:  Is it hard to be in charge of so many teachers and faculty, while in charge of the school?

Mr. McCune: Haha yes, but I love my admin team and my teachers so while it is a lot of work I view it as I get to take care of people I love.  

Sydney: What’s been your favorite part of being principal?

Mr. McCune: I really enjoy problem solving and taking care of people, and that is the bulk of what this job is.  

Sydney: What’s been your least favorite part of being principal?

Mr. McCune: I feel like I get tied up too much in meetings, and having to get stuff done in the office too much.  I love interacting with the students and teachers, and I kind of feel like I have not been able to do that as much this year.  That’s a big focus of mine for next year to remedy.

Sydney:  How has being a principal helped shape your faith to become stronger?

Mr. McCune: There are many decisions and actions of the secondary school that depend on me. That’s a giant responsibility so taking extra time in prayer and spending time each morning just talking with God has helped give me clarity.

Sydney: What’s been one of the most stressful parts of your job?

Mr. McCune: Figuring out the logistics of moving the junior high students into Providence, and managing that situation was a pretty stressful time at the beginning.  There are just certain days where multiple things pop up that have to be dealt with immediately.  Thankfully my team is the best so I can lean on them during those stressful times.

Sydney: What are some of the biggest challenges you face?

Mr. McCune: The balance between having to get certain things done and spending time with teachers and students.  

Sydney: What things are you wanting to improve/change for next year?

Mr. Mccune: Not being in the office as much as I feel like he has been this year.  I feel like I wasn’t as efficient as I would like to be, and I can improve in that area to give me more flexibility during the day.

Sydney: Do you find it difficult to want to change things but not be allowed to change it, and how do you manage that?

Mr. McCune: I do find that difficult, but I have to look at situations from all angles     and perspectives.  I’m persistent so if something isn’t changed right away, I will continue to bring it up and see if it works further down the road.

Sydney:  How do you manage teacher and student burnout?

Mr. McCune: For teachers, I try to do some fun things for them throughout the year whether that be a turkey hunt, dress up days, or treating them to some things when possible.  I also think it’s just checking in with your teachers.  Making sure they feel appreciated and heard is very important to me.  For students, it’s listening to teachers and getting feedback on the pulse of the students.  One thing I want to do next year is more check-ins with students during Bible classes just to connect and hear from students on what they are feeling.  

Sydney: Is being a principal more stressful than you originally thought?

Mr. McCune: I have worked very closely with Mrs. Vega so I saw first hand how stressful the job is.  I  knew what I was getting into.  I love my, my students, my teachers, and my admin team.