After lots of discussion and meetings, on Monday Perry Township Officials announced that Brian Knight would be replace SHS principal Barb Brouwer at the beginning of the new school year. While this will be a change for his career, it will also be a change for his family as well.

As a husband and father to four children, Knight says one of his major concerns he had when he first considered the job was the effect it would have on his family.

“I drag my kids to just about everything anyway,” Knight said. “My dad was a high school principal. I have fond memories of attending those things, and you know, that’s just the way it was.”

Current principal Barb Brouwer says that she spends about 76 hours a week doing school related activities. She says that it has taken her away from friends and family at times, but that it was her choice.

“I see my siblings and parents at holidays only,” Brouwer said. “My immediate family, if they don’t go to a school event with me, I’m doing my thing and they’re doing their thing.”

Knight, before becoming the principal at the middle school, was a dean at Perry Meridian High School for five years. He says that he misses the atmosphere of a high school that just quite isn’t present at a middle school. According to Knight, there’s something different between the adolescent years and those of high school.

He also loves all the different activities that come with high school,how students can express themselves and the ways teachers can interact with students given the positions they are in.

“A high school is too big to micromanage and have your hand in every pot,” Knight said. “ A lot of times it’s hiring good people, making sure people are in the right spot supported where they’re needed and then honestly just getting out of their way.”

Brouwer and Knight both stated that it’s good that Knight knows the students, but that he will need to get to know the teachers. However, Brouwer had no concern when it came to the staff and Knight getting along.

“He knows the students, he knows the parents, but he doesn’t know the teachers here,” Brouwer said, “and that’s going to be his learning curve. However, our teachers here (at SHS) are phenomenal and they’re family. They will embrace him just like (the students) embrace him.”