CONWAY — Kristen Gordon said she sat and marveled at the student-adult interactions she saw when she came in for an initial interview for the Conway Grammar School principal job.
“I literally teared up because I immediately realized what a special place this was,” she told a roomful of people during a community meet-and-greet in the school’s library Thursday. “This place is a hidden gem. … It’s just magical here. It really is.”
Gordon is the superintendent of the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District, having previously worked as an elementary school principal, special education teacher and inclusion specialist. She said being an elementary school principal is the happiest she has ever been in her career.
“I love what I’m doing. I’ll always give 200 percent, but I miss the kids,” she said. “I really miss the kids and I really miss being an elementary school principal.”
Gordon fielded questions from parents, grandparents and community members on Thursday. In discussing her educational approach, she said she believes in assignments complementing one another.
“In terms of reading and writing, I think they always need to go hand in hand. Because you should never write without reading and you should never read without writing,” she said, adding that writing is also important in math class to explain equations and solutions.
Gordon said it is vital to keep students engaged. A student’s attention span is “their age, plus two minutes,” she said, explaining that a 7-year-old’s attention span is nine minutes. Gordon said she is an advocate for students reading in small groups to ensure they are truly absorbing the material.
She also told the crowd on Wednesday that in her current district, she requires everyone to reply to emails within 48 hours of receiving them to guarantee promptness.
You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 257. On Twitter, follow @DomenicPoli