*BHS Assistant Principal*
By: BHS Staff Profiles
September 1, 2023
Chosen for this year’s first Staff Spotlight is Miss Katie Harkelroad. This is Miss Harkelroad’s first year in the Brooklyn City School District. She used to work at Vermilion High School for nine years, where she started as an intervention specialist. She then coordinated a development program and also started an academy there, too. Later, she worked as an assistant principal for two years. Before Vermilion, she worked in Cleveland for three years as a first grade teacher, the start of her education career. She then worked for ten years in New York City in the field of management. And now, she is in administration here at BHS. In her free time, she can be found cooking, reading, sailing, exercising, or hanging out with friends and family. A fun fact about Miss Harkelroad is that she is the youngest of six siblings, and she has 17 nieces and nephews who she likes to hang out with, too.
Q: What inspired you to become an assistant principal?
A: “When I was running the workforce development program at my old school, I really loved being able to put processes in place for the students to be successful, and this is kind of what you do as an assistant principal; you are able to find ways to have the school operate in a little bit of a better way for students to be successful. I also like to ask the students and teachers how I can help them have a better day.”
Q: What is the most challenging part of your working environment?
A: “I think coming to a new school, being new to Brooklyn for the first year, the most challenging part is that I don’t know a lot of people. It’s so important to build relationships and to gain trust with the students. I want everyone to know that I’m somebody who you can trust and turn to if you need to. That relationship takes time to build, and I’m still getting to the point where I know your face, but I have to ask your name, and that’s hard. I like to just come in, know everyone, know the names of everyone, and to have built those relationships. I think that once you’re able to build those relationships, everything about the job is much easier. But I would say the hardest thing is that I’m new, and I don’t know everybody yet. You also don’t know if they can trust you or not yet either. We’re only in the beginning of the school year, and I keep telling myself that it’s going to take some time to get used to everything.”
Q: So far, have you felt welcomed by the Brooklyn staff?
A: “I have. The staff here is really nice. Everyone has been super kind. In the main office, I get to be by the guidance counselors and Mr. Larson; I also have the secretaries up front. It’s just a nice environment. We always have students coming in and out, and it’s always exciting. Something new is always happening. The teachers have been extremely kind, helpful, and encouraging, too.”
Q: How do you stay organized throughout the day?
A: “To-do lists. I come in a little bit before 7:00 every morning. The first thing I do is get my computer set up, and then, I start. I just organize the things that I need to do. If I don’t have a to-do list, sometimes my head is just spinning. I love to have everything written down, and then once I’ve done it, I cross it off. That’s my organization strategy.”
Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?
A: “One is when someone is getting picked on and they don’t have the power of the other person; basically, they can’t stand up for themselves. The injustice of that just bugs me. Another thing is that I am bothered when someone is talking and other people are talking over them or having side conversations. I feel like if someone is talking, we should be listening and giving them our respect and attention.”
Q: What was your biggest setback in life, and how did you overcome it?
A: “Both of my parents died of cancer about four years apart from one another. Even though I was an adult when they died, I still felt a little too young to lose them. Thankfully, they left me with great siblings. I have a great family, and we all support one another. One of my favorite things is that we get together and share memories about one another. I also like that we have a faith life. Having a belief that my parents are at rest is a peaceful thing.”
Q: Who is your biggest inspiration?
A: “I would say my mom because she was a beautiful, kind, and honest person. Also, someone who I never met but inspires me is the tennis player, Rafael Nadal. He is such a hard worker, and he never gives up. His perseverance is crazy as is his mental toughness.”
Q: What is your favorite sport to watch or play?
A: “Tennis!”
Miss Harkelroad, we want to thank you for participating in this interview for our school newspaper. We also want to welcome you to our Brooklyn community. We wish you the best of luck throughout your first year with us.
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 