What's the administration like at penn alexander?"Sheila's bark is bigger than her bite. She seems intimidating at first but she's very supportive and I've worked with her for so long, I can kind of navigate it." -- Classroom Mentor
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The current principal at Penn Alexander is Sheila A. Sydnor, who has held the position since the school's founding in 2001. In 2013, she made the following statement to the graduating eighth grade students:
"As you begin a new chapter in your life, remember the many conversations from the adults that surrounded you each and every day regarding citizenship, diligence, determination, focus, goal setting, and above all, excellence. These conversations began in kindergarten and continued throughout your many years at PAS. Make sure you revisit these conversations as you journey to high school and beyond. When an obstacle suddenly appears in your path and your goals become clouded, think of these conversations. They are lifelong lessons that will assist you in making the right decision, provide you with a plan to overcome an obstacle, and remove the cloud that impairs your goal setting vision. You have been given valuable tools to be successful. Use them wisely! Follow your dreams and become the environmentalist, mathematician, doctor, president, lawyer, or teacher that you've talked about. All things are possible if you believe! I wish you the best today, tomorrow, and forever" (PAS Yearbook, 2013). Beyond her positive message to the students, we came across experiences inconsistent with these positive ideals. One source indicated a tendency by her towards rigidity. According to two different interviews, one student felt comfortable and the other source indicated a certain hesitancy in approaching the principal. |