Before the winter holidays, I had the opportunity as a part of the Brown and White to conduct an exclusive interview with the new Upper School Principal, Teacher Jenn Weinheimer. Describing her swift introduction to Westtown life, she noted the quality of Westtown’s classrooms, stating, “I’ve really enjoyed the time that I’ve gotten to spend in classrooms watching students and teachers…the levels at which students are studying and teachers using lots of different techniques is kind of exciting.”
Teacher Jenn is experienced in the classroom, describing how she started her career as a high school English teacher.
“I like high school kids,” she said. “I think it’s fascinating to watch you all figure out who you are.”
She also has experience in Quaker schools, noting that she worked in a Quaker school prior to Westtown. As many students would probably expect, Teacher Jenn was asked about the cell phone policy and how the issue of the student/faculty divide can be helped. She responded with reason, stating, “It’s very normal…students don’t like the idea of being told to do something. And the reason the faculty are hoping for more restrictions on cell phones isn’t because they want to temper your joy, but because they’re worried about the influence that these devices have on your brains.”
Teacher Jenn comes from a school where cell phones were banned completely during the academic day, which is a fact that many Westtonians know about, and may be wary of. The new principal is indeed aware of this anticipative feeling.
“I don’t know what [a similar policy] would look like here. I have to be honest. I think a lot of people are worried that I have a solution in my back pocket that I’m not naming. I don’t know what the right vibe is here,” Teacher Jenn said.
Teacher Jenn also described how parental pressure is also affecting how the administration views the phone policy.
“So many schools have moved to this [policy], which is probably the thing that’s pushing most parents to get more vocal too.”
A new cell phone committee has been formed, which Teacher Jenn has high hopes for. She herself will not sit on the committee, because she believes that, “they come to [her] with recommendations and that the administration can consider them.”
Moving away from the phone policy, Teacher Jenn discussed one thing that she would change about Westtown. “I wish that there was a little bit more warmth in the communications between students and other students, as well as students and faculty,” she said.
Overall, Teacher Jenn described how much she loves Westtown and how normal the cell phone conflict is for a high school. As a principal, she expressed gratitude for the new faculty. As a parent, she’s thankful for the immense community in the middle school and the quality of academics that her son has access to in the sixth grade.
