Have you ever wondered who the people that run the school are like? I answered this question for at least one person, Mrs. Bittler. This is Mrs. Bittler’s second year as one of Vestal High School’s assistant principals. Though her title may be a bit daunting, she is an enthusiastic person who loves her job.
Unlike some other staff members, Mrs. Bittler did not attend Vestal in her youth. She did not “have the best academic experience growing up,” so it’s her goal to give other kids the opportunity to “love school and love learning.” In fact, one of Mrs. Bittler’s favorite things about Vestal is that everybody has so much school spirit, and she loves the interactions between students and teachers.
Like everyone else, Mrs. Bittler was affected by the pandemic. Since one of her favorite parts of her job is the interaction with everyone, the shutdown caused her to feel very lonely. “Just being away from everyone was tough . . . that’s why I’m in it, because I love to be in it,” she said.
Despite what others think, the assistant principals do a lot more than discipline kids. Their main concern is to make sure that everyone is safe and that procedures and policies are being observed and followed through with. They also help students with problems they are having, academic or otherwise. The assistant principals have lots of duties to attend to every day. “We wear lots of hats,” Mrs. Bittler said when addressing the question of what duties assistant principals perform. Currently, Mrs. Bittler is working on a project involving the ninth grade population, and she said to stay tuned for more information.
When asked if she had anything to say to the student body, Mrs. Bittler replied, “Keep Vestal the place to be…be golden!”