New Watchung Hills Principal Ready for School Year

New Principal George Alexis has a message for his students: he wants you to get well rested and come to school ready to learn and have a great year.

Four weeks after moving into the principal's office, Alexis is at home and at ease—even as the hours count down before the nearly 2,200 students enter the doors. Projects underway at the school this summer, from the track to the roof on a section of the south building, are on target for completion, and the hallways and floors are gleaming after their summer cleaning.

"The school's in great shape right now," Alexis said. And he would know, as a 1984 graduate of Watchung Hills Regional, many of the classrooms hold memories for him, although he noted many have been rennovated in the interim. "The building is very different, but in some ways, when I walk down the hallways, it feels very familiar."

There are also some familiar faces: he recalls staff members Mario Diez, Barry Kostibos, Kim Gajewski, Robin Simonetta, Laurie Shoemaker and James Kanach from his school days.    

Alexis said he's enjoyed a smooth transition into his new role. When asked what new initiatives or changes he might have in mind for the school, he deftly said he would spend the year listening to the students and staff to see what, if any changes might be made.

Noting the last year has had some amazing successes for the school— and , to name two—one wonders what achievements await the school in the 2012-2013 school year.

"We'll keep building on those types of successes and continue to build on the programs that lead to them," he said.