Staci Porch is the First Assistant Principal at East Hartford High School and has been a part of the EHHS team for more than two decades. While managing many of the school's systems behind the scenes, she also works to be visible to students and build trusting relationships with them.
“In my time here, Staci has been rock solid in the classroom. Then when we hired her as assistant principal, she took over, learned the job, became the scheduler, learned that job, and now she's the First Assistant Principal,” said EHHS Principal Matt Ryan. “Staci's commitment to the Hornet community is unrivaled.”
Ryan explained Porch is in charge of many of the systems that help run EHHS, including attendance and managing substitutes. He said just making sure those systems are running successfully is a full-time job, but in her role, as the first person in charge when he’s not in the building, she’s pulled in many different directions. She’s able to juggle all of that while forming relationships with others in the EHHS community.
He said, “She’s the first one here every day, and when she's here, she's building strong, supportive relationships. She builds those relationships with students, as well as our staff members. And then she does a great job of balancing those positive, supportive relationships with holding people accountable. She holds students accountable to our handbook, and holds staff accountable with the things we need our staff to do. She's not afraid to have difficult conversations, and she can do those because she has great relationships with our students and our staff and our families.”
Learn more about Staci Porch in the Q&A below.
What is your professional background and what led you to your role as First Assistant Principal?
Porch: I taught English here for about 18 years, and then I was asked to step in as an AP in an interim role for a year, and I did. Then I got the job for real at the end of my 19th year here, and I’ve been doing it for five years now. I love teaching, I love the children. But this has been something that I've really enjoyed.
Did you always see yourself becoming a principal someday?
Porch: No. I had gone to get my 092 certification back when I had my first daughter. It was kind of a little extra money in your paycheck, but then I kind of sat on it for a while. Then I started picking up a few things here and there. I became a program coordinator for summer school, and I just started enjoying that aspect of education. Then that’s when this came up, and I just jumped at it.
What does an average day look like for you?
Porch: It’s always different, and I think that's what makes it so exciting. You know, the days are never the same. You can have everything planned out, what's going to happen and all of the stuff that you need to get done in the day, and then something happens and you just don't get it done. So you just have to kind of move and pivot and change direction, and do what you need to do to meet the needs of the kids.
At EHHS, the APs follow one class of students through their 4 years. What’s the impact of that?
Porch: My house team, which is made up of three special ed teachers, two guidance counselors, a secretary, social worker and behavior manager, we go with the kids from 9-12. So it really helps with those relationships and kind of knowing what's going on in their lives and knowing their stories. Those relationships with the families and the kids helps to get them in the building and doing what we want them to do.
Does that also help in disciplinary instances or during harder conversations?
Porch: Yeah, I think you can just be real with them. It's just kind of like at home with my own children. You messed up, you need to pay the price. And once you have that relationship established with the kid, it makes that conversation a lot easier.
What do you think it is about yourself that makes you good at your job?
Porch: I really think relationships are important, and I think that I am able to build those relationships with the kids. I think I use a lot of humor, a lot of sarcasm with the kids. It doesn't always work, but they usually come around and they get it. They understand this is what she expects from us. They just like to be able to have somebody here that they can kind of be real with and talk to, but at the same time hold them accountable. They need structure. They like that.
What do you love most about the job?
Porch: The kids. I mean, they're amazing here. The kids are just wonderful. My class, I think is pretty amazing. But the staff here is also amazing. My house team, the admin team, and all the rest of the staff. Everybody is just amazing here.
What do you personally get out of those relationships you’re building?
Porch: I just feel like I'm somehow, I'm making a difference, you know? And it might just be in one kid or two kids, but somehow just making a difference. You know, I want the kids to look back on their high school experience and say, “It wasn't so bad. You know, I remember my AP.” I didn't ever remember who my APs were. You know, they were just kind of people that were there, you heard of, but you never saw. So I make sure I'm out there and I’m visible.