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After 14 years as principal, Borgen is no longer "the new kid on the block." But even at 46, his hair now shot through with gray, he acknowledges that he's still learning on the job. He spends part of each year as an adjunct professor in school administration at Western Washington University, where he has a chance to keep up to date on research and trends. "It's humbling," he says, "how much there is to learn." But his intellectual curiosity reassures his staff that Borgen will be scanning the horizon for fresh ideas. "He keeps the vision in front of us," says teacher John Sayer, a 35-year veteran in the classroom. "We can count on Chris to keep asking, 'What is this? Does it work?'" The biggest change in the principal's job has been the evolution in leadership style, from boss to facilitator, Borgen says. "For a principal to survive and be effective, the old authoritarian dynamic just doesn't work any longer. Some of the skills that our good counselors have fit in very well with this job. You need to be able to get people to analyze what they're doing, so they can look at their own practices and improve." Teacher Sherry Chavers praises Borgen for his ability "to draw out our strengths. He encourages us to take risks. In professional growth, he nudges us." And he pulls that "nudging" off with good humor, she says, willing to take jokes as well as dish them out. Over the years, Borgen has been amazed by the number of good ideas that have come across his desk from community members, parents, and other educators. "These may all be good ideas, wonderful programs, but you can't do them all. It's easy to lose your school focus if you try every idea that comes along. As principal, you need to find a way to let people know you appreciate their ideas, but you also have to say: Our focus right now is this, and here's why." Borgen's open-door policy means parents have an easy time getting his attention. Some tell him they want experiential, project-based education. Others favor workbooks, discipline, and a focus on the basics. "Can we provide a menu for all these people? If we don't," Borgen says, "we'll be losing our parents. Parents today realize they have options, from homeschooling to private schools to charter schools. And many of them are very sophisticated in their understanding." If Fidalgo has held onto a lasting lesson from its years as a 21st Century School, it's that "there's no one way to get there," Borgen says. The school continues to offer multiage classes, traditional grade-level classes, teachers who loop from grade to grade with their students, and training designed to raise intelligence and build on multiple learning styles. Some teachers use a rigorous, standards-based approach while others take an experiential route to learning. Teacher Mark Perkins did his own research on the benefits of one-room schoolhouses, then convinced Borgen to let him teach a third — through sixth-grade classroom. "There's room in the building for all these approaches," Borgen believes, "as long as we know specifically what we're about. And this school still focuses first on student academic performance." While parents love the options that Fidalgo offers, counselor Jean Lungren suspects that few children are aware of the school's eclectic menu. "What they know is, there's a comfort level here. It's a secure place. They will be treated with respect here, and Chris is the one who models that for all of us." Even a recent, major remodel of the building turned into an opportunity for collaboration. Borgen surveyed the entire staff for suggestions about design elements to help students thrive. The resulting building features tall windows to let natural light stream into the library and classrooms, and an air-filtering system to make breathing easier for students with allergies. Wide hallways include alcoves for displaying student projects, such as papier-mâché dinosaurs or a giant tree house stocked with library books. A technology center connects with the library, so that students can move seamlessly between research and writing. Tucked between classrooms are smaller "utility rooms" where students can receive individual attention or work in small groups, but remain under a teacher's supervision. A counselor's office sits right across from the main office, a visible symbol of the school's focus on the whole child. Even parents have their own PTA room, underlining their importance in the "Fidalgo Family." Would it have been easier for Borgen to work with the architect by himself? No question. "Collective problem solving is a lot more time consuming," he admits. It also means giving up some of his authority. But by opening the discussion to all, he wound up with a building that came in under budget and is "owned" by the whole community. "Collaboratively, you get better answers. Most of all, you create a better culture for your school."
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The New Principal Special Report:
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Date of Last Update: 9/28/01 
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