Published in the September 7, 2016 edition
BRIAN BATES
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Brian Bates feels right at home as Lynnfield High School’s new assistant principal.
Bates has succeeded former LHS Assistant Principal Kevin Cyr, who is now the school system’s director of teaching and learning. Bates began his tenure at LHS on July 1.
“It’s been great,” said Bates. “Everyone has been really accommodating and helping me transition. I can’t get over how friendly everybody is, from the students I have met to the faculty and staff to the other administrators in the district. It’s been awesome.”
Background
Bates previously worked at Lawrence High School for 10 years before coming to LHS. He began his tenure at Lawrence High working as an English teacher, teaching primarily freshmen. After teaching for seven years, Bates was named assistant principal of Lawrence High School’s Humanities and Leadership Development High School, a position he held from January 2014-June 2015.
“It was Lawrence High School, but it was separated into six different high schools under that domain,” said Bates. “Lawrence was going through some transitions at the high school and I was pretty well respected within the entire the campus, so they moved me into the assistant principal role at the Humanities and Leadership Development High School.”
Bates served as Lawrence High School’s Ninth Grade Academy school director from June 2015-June 2016 after Lawrence High was restructured once again.
While Bates said he enjoyed his time in Lawrence, he said the LHS assistant principal job was the opportunity of a lifetime.
“When I left my first interview here, I went home and told my wife this is where I want to be,” said Bates. “It seemed that everybody was pushing for the greater good, which is educating children. But more so, it was very comfortable and engaging.”
Bates’ career in education is his second act, as he previously worked as a television journalist. He was a news reporter, sports reporter and producer for WSTM NBC 3 in Syracuse, N.Y. from December 2003 to June 2004. He was a news reporter, sports reporter and anchor for WNDS TV in Derry, N.H. from Sept. 2000 through December 2003. He was a producer and writer for CNN Morning News from December 1999 to September 2000.
“I wanted to be on TV since I was in elementary school,” said Bates. “It was my dream. I used to pretend I was giving a weather report or a sports report with a little tape recorder I had. I am a people person and I am very inquisitive. I love finding out new things about people. I decided to major in it in college. I had a fun career and I experienced a bunch of stuff I wouldn’t have experienced if I didn’t get into it.”
While Bates said he initially loved working as a television journalist, he said the job became tiring.
“I moved around a couple of times and I got to see a side of TV that went against my morals,” said Bates. “It just got to the point where it went against everything I believe in. In the meantime, I was doing some community service as part of the job and I was speaking at a journalism class at a community college. I started enjoying going there more than going to work, so I decided I had a good run at this and I lived my dream, which a lot of people can’t say. I decided to move back home.”
Bates said his family inspired him to go into education.
“My whole family works in education,” said Bates. “My dad is a former superintendent, my mom worked in special education and administration for a number of years and my sister is a second grade teacher. I have a lot of friends who work in education. I decided to go into education and I have not looked back once. There have been some ups and downs of course, but I don’t regret one day at all.”
While Bates has left the world of television journalism behind him, he said his former profession taught him a lot of valuable life lessons that he will be bringing to LHS.
“I would not be where I am in education if I did not work in TV first,” said Bates. “It really taught me to work as a team, the importance of communication and to ask questions that most people wouldn’t ask. In TV, if one person doesn’t do their job, then the whole thing falls apart. It’s the same thing in education and schools. You can’t drop the ball and you always have to be on your toes. You have to work as a team, rely on people and trust people to do their job.”
Life at LHS
Since coming to LHS on July, Bates has been working to familiarize himself with the high school.
“I have been trying to get a good understanding of the layout by getting lost in the building and finding my way around,” said Bates. “I have been meeting with teachers and I have been spending a lot of time with (High School Principal) Bob Cleary. He has been very helpful informing me about the ins and outs of the high school and about some of the successes here as well as some of the challenges.”
Before the school year started, Bates began familiarizing himself with students. He said he had an opportunity to speak with students the first week of athletic team practices. He also met a lot of students at Freshmen Orientation.
“It went well,” Bates said about Freshmen Orientation. “We had almost all of the freshmen class here. They got a chance to see where their classes are and get to know the high school. The Compass Student Advisors worked with the freshmen and took on the leadership role, which is expected of them. And they ran the program. It was student centered and was great.”
Bates presented an entry plan to the School Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 6, taking place after the Villager went to press. He gave a preview of the entry plan to the Villager.
“Part of the entry plan is sitting down with anyone at the high school to talk about the culture here, instruction and the student body,” said Bates. “Sitting down with people will give me a complete picture of the district. I think the biggest thing for me coming in from the outside is embedding myself in all aspects of the community to really get a full understanding of everything.”
Bates said his goal for the year is building relationships with students, teachers, parents and school officials.
“I don’t care whatever job you are in, you have to build relationships,” said Bates. “I think it’s important for me to get to know the students, teachers and parents and to build a sense of trust. There has been a solid and consistent administration here for many years and now there is a change. I am sure a lot of people have questions. I want to be able to answer those questions and I want to become part of this community as quickly as possible. I think I am on that road right now.”
Bates said Cleary and Cyr have been “very supportive” since he began his tenure as LHS’ assistant principal.
“They have been huge,” said Bates. “I cannot speak more highly about two guys who have really gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. Bob has told me ‘do your thing and if you need me, I am here.’ We have great conversations each day about something as small as what the lunchroom looks like at lunch to something bigger such as getting ready for the school year. And Kevin has shown me the ropes of how the school runs, from setting the bell schedule to working with evaluations. It’s been awesome.”
When asked what is the difference between LHS and Lawrence High, Bates said, “kids are kids.” He noted there is one critical difference between the two high schools.
“The one thing we have here that we didn’t have in Lawrence is parental involvement, which I think that is so important,” said Bates. “There is a strong sense of parental involvement in the school and its something I want to be part of.”
Bates said he is going to be continuing Cyr’s initiatives such as Pioneer Pride and the Compass program. He said he has no plans to shake things up at the high school.
“I am not coming in here and re-writing the book,” said Bates. “For my first year, I want to keep up with what Kevin and Bob have been doing and contribute to that. Maybe down the line there is some room for change but right now I want to keep up with what they created, which is really positive.”
Bates said he wants Cyr to be at the high school as much as possible.
“I have told Kevin a number of times I want him here because he is part of the community and he should be here,” said Bates. “Sometimes when people start a new job, they don’t want to step on the toes of the new person coming in. That is not me at all. I would rather have Kevin here and part of the community.”
With the school year underway, Bates said he is looking forward to hitting the ground running.
“The most important thing for me is doing what’s best for the kids, which is first and foremost,” said Bates.
