BILLINGS — Billings Public Schools opened its doors to the community Thursday for "Educator for a Day," giving residents a behind-the-scenes look at how the role of school principal has evolved.
According to the Billings Public Schools Education Foundation, today's principals juggle duties as CEO, social worker, and middle manager, all while facing unprecedented pressure from various challenges affecting students and families.
At Newman Elementary School, community members got a chance to tour the school and observe everyday life for school principals and staff. The guests were welcomed by a gym full of cheering kids to start their day.
Mary Beth Beaulieu has grandchildren in the school district, so she wanted to participate in the event.
"I think it's really important to understand the challenges that educators are up against today," said Beaulieu, an Educator for a Day participant. "There's a lot of pressure on kids, families that comes into the schools. They're dealing with a lot, so I'm really looking forward to understanding more about how they deal with all of that."
The goal of the program is to help the public understand the daily challenges facing school leaders in today's educational environment.
