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When Goerke enters a classroom, students light up as soon as they spot his white hair and ready smile. Some open their arms for hugs. He pats them on the shoulder, ruffles their hair, and asks about their work: "Is that a reindeer with sunglasses?" "He comes in our class every day," says a third-grader named Jacob. "That's my favorite part of the day because we get to say hi to him. He gets to see how we're doing, and sometimes he'll talk to our teacher about what we might be doing next. Sometimes when he comes in and we're taking a spelling test, he asks how I'm doing and I let him look at my paper." The love and respect Goerke shows to his students inspires a love of learning, says Reisinger. "It's so important because we're here for the kids. They feel their principal cares, their principal's their advocate. They don't see him as an authority figure. Yes, they respect him, but they also feel he's part of their team — and therefore they do better in school. Other things can be delegated. The kids and the relationship with the principal is Number One, because that sets the tone for the school." The bond Goerke has forged with students speaks for both his managerial skills and his personal warmth. "He has the organization, the organizational plan, to limit unnecessary things and focus on the necessary things," says Reisinger, "and the most necessary thing is the child."
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The New Principal Special Report:
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Date of Last Update: 9/28/01 
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