KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL: New Principal Tommie Saylor offers his thoughts heading into a new school year

“Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your friends feel there is something special in them. Look at the sunny side of everything. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best.  

"Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give everyone a smile.  Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to criticize others. Be too big for worry and too noble for anger.”

Christian D. Larsen

Hi, I'm Tommie D. Saylor Jr., the new principal of Kennedy High School.

I have decided to start sending out my "Principal’s Friday Update" today, a message I traditionally send out on Fridays during the school year recapping the week’s events, important messages to the staff, reminders and often just simply what’s on my mind. I know we are weeks away from the official start of school, but I hope by starting my update early, you will have the opportunity to get to know me a little better prior to the official start of the school year.

I’m an old-fashioned country boy who grew up surrounded by farmland and woods on the west side of the state. I am passionate about hunting, fishing and the Detroit Lions. In fact, I spent most of the month of July in the Great Garland Swamp, state land located between Baldwin and Luther. I stayed in a three-room cabin with no electricity, no running water, no telephone, no television, no heating and cooling and no indoor toilet (we used an old-fashioned outhouse).  

I had to draw my own water from a hand well pump and bathe down at the creek. It was about as primitive as one can get these days, and I loved it. My closest neighbor was miles away and I had plenty of time to think and to simply be alone with my thoughts. I read, absorbed nature's beauty and recharged my batteries. This is how I rejuvenate, unwind and gather my strength to do what we must during the school year.  

I hope all of you have had the chance to do the same this summer and are now preparing yourselves for the tasks ahead.

I am also a veteran of the U.S. Army, who served most of my five years in what was West Germany as a scout/forward reconnaissance trooper. I walked the East-West border for years, obtained the rank of sergeant and earned nine medals during my five years of service.  

After leaving the Army, I attended Western Michigan University and obtained my bachelor’s degree in education as a certified science teacher. I taught Chemistry, Advanced Chemistry and AP Chemistry at Portland Public Schools for eight years. Portland is located on I-96 just west of Lansing.  

While teaching at Portland, I continued to take classes at WMU and earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. Shortly after earning my Master’s Degree, I accepted a position at Ashley Community Schools as the K-12 principal. Ashley is located just south of Mount Pleasant.  I was the principal at Ashley for 8 ½ years before coming to Taylor as the principal of Truman.  

This summer I concluded a 2½ year stint at Truman and I am very excited and feel honored to have the opportunity to now serve as the principal of Kennedy High School.

Now that you know a little about me, I do have a thought I want to share with you on this first update of the 2013-14 school year. I know that in the last few years Kennedy has had several different principals and assistant principals. The continual rotation of administrators has understandably created some leadership issues. Those problems end with me.

I plan on being around for a while and though I know that you have heard this before, this time it is for real. My history bears out the conviction in my words. 

I prefer to leave the past in the past, to look forward not backwards, and to spend our energies on creating systems that work. I'm going to concentrate harder on fixing problems than on fixing blame. Simply, let’s concentrate on the positive, let’s build on what works and together let’s create an educational environment at Kennedy High School that is second to none.

This will require teamwork, passion and conviction to our cause. Join me, because the future is waiting for heroes like you.

And always remember that their future is in our hands ... Making Kennedy the school of choice. Excellence by design!