Wed, Jan. 2 Principal Dan Meier announced he will be retiring on April 1 after ten years of being the principal. He made his announcement to the faculty and staff members before sending out an email to every student’s parent.

“I love my job and have never been able to make the decision to retire,” Meier said. “I believe it is time for new leadership.”

The past four principals the school has had all retired after ten years here, Meier is continuing the pattern.

“We elect a president more than Robinson gets a new principal,” Meier said.

Meier chose to retire in April because the biggest decisions of the following school year are made in April, May and June and he does not believe it is fair to make the decisions for the next school year leaving the new principal to deal with them.

“Mr. Meier is leaving behind big shoes for the new principal to fill,” Administrative Assistant Sue Henderson said.

Henderson has known Meier for about ten years. She has worked with different principals before she started working with Meier five years ago.

“They all had their own talents,” Henderson said, “but Meier has the greatest people skills out of all of them.”

Our school has many traditions that have been set in place since Meier has been principal. Most schools have a principal for two or three years and then the traditions they brought will disappear. Whereas Meier has been the principal for ten years and has brought about many traditions that are now well-established.

“Since Meier has been at the school such a long time, we are more likely to keep the traditions that have been set in place,” Associate Principal Mike Mukai said.

Many faculty members had hoped Meier would stay at the school for a little longer. April first was a surprise to most faculty members but they all knew that it was coming eventually.  Students were surprised when Meier announced his retirement.

“I was shocked, Meier has always been here and he has made such big changes to the school,” Senior Rachel Van Meter said. “I was speechless, we all love and care about him and we hope the best for him.”

The county should know sometime in February who the new principal is going to be. While change can be scary it can also be a good thing. Even though Meier will no longer be the principal of the school, he will still be a part of the community.

“Meier is the most inspiring leader that I have ever worked for,” Mukai said. “He brings out the best in people and be makes other people better.”