By Kristy Deer | Daily Reporter
NEW PALESTINE — The move was only supposed to be temporary, but Jim Voelz is now officially the principal at New Palestine High School.
After several months of filling in for Keith Fessler, who is on medical leave, the district made the decision in late December to remove the “interim” title from Voelz, meaning he is now in charge of the high school indefinitely.
The short-term arrangement of having Voelz fill in for Fessler was dependent upon Fessler’s return. When it recently became apparent Fessler’s timeline for returning to work needed to be extended, district officials felt it best to move forward in light of ongoing management of the pandemic and the $49 million renovation project at the high school.
The school board officially approved the measure during its December meeting. Voelz will earn $117,228 per year.
Voelz had been the principal at New Palestine Junior High before moving to the high school.
“Being in the middle of the renovation and all the issues associated with COVID, we need some consistency at our high school,” community relations director Wes Anderson said.
“That’s a huge factor in all of this,” Anderson added. “Having that one consistent voice in the building, leading from the front is so important.”
Voelz, 51, has been with the district for 21 years, most of it at the former Doe Creek Middle school and the junior high. He agreed to the initial switch, saying he wanted to do whatever was needed to help the district and Fessler.
Voelz responded in the same, helpful manner when Superintendent Lisa Lantrip decided to make the move permanent.
“I’m excited for the challenge,” Voelz said. “It doesn’t matter what school you’re at, you always want to put the expectations on yourself to do things at an A+ level.”
Having been in the district and knowing all the students and parents because they went through his former school, Voelz said the familiarity will lead to stability and consistency at the high school.
Voelz also has experience on how to manage a renovation project. Several years ago, the old Doe Creek school was transformed into the junior high, making him a logical choice to lead things permanently at NPHS.
While Voelz said he is proud of building a “culture of excellence” at the junior high, he’s looking forward to doing the same thing at the high school.
He noted Fessler set a standard for continued success. New Palestine High School has been a Blue Ribbon school, a Four Star school and is currently listed as an “A” school by the Indiana Department of Education.
Voelz has a goal to keep the ship, while larger than his last one, moving in the right direction.
“We’ve got incredible people here, so I’m walking into something that is really great,” Voelz said. “I just need to keep pushing things forward.”
His biggest challenge is creating a new team unity and building chemistry during a pandemic. That, Voelz said, is difficult when people are wearing masks, social distancing and conducting most meetings via the internet. Students returned to in-person learning at the high school this week for the first time in nearly two months.
“The challenge is meeting with people and forming those important relationships right now, but we’re trying,” Voelz said. “Having good relationships and building a great culture, that’s what creates a great school.”
District officials made the original decision about moving Voelz shortly before school started this year with the hopes Fessler would make his way back as an assistant principal at the junior high school until he felt strong enough to return to the high school.
However, Fessler, who is battling colon cancer, has not been able to return to work in any capacity.
In the meantime, Craig Moore, the former assistant principal at the junior high, replaced Voelz as the interim principal there and will continue in the interim role for now, Anderson said.
Voelz, who had been the principal at Doe Creek Middle School and at the junior high for 18 of his 21 years in the district, said he hasn’t had the chance to even say goodbye to his former teachers and staff at the junior high. But, now that things are official, he’s hoping there will be a chance to do so with a going-away party soon.
“We did a lot of good things there,” Voelz said. “It would be nice to be able to say goodbye the right way. I guess the good thing is I’m only a couple miles down the road.”
