On Aug. 15, the school year began with a new principal, Dick Thomas (staff). He first began his role as principal in February 2024.
Thomas has been working in the Weld RE-4 district for 22 years. Before transferring to Windsor, he worked as a math teacher, PE coach and science teacher. Before this role at Windsor High School, Thomas was an assistant principal and the activities director.
Thomas wants to continue to push students to be the best they can be.
“Seeing kids be successful … whether that’s in the classroom or that’s in clubs and activities or athletics … I hope to give them confidence,” Thomas said.
Leah Bacon (12) is the executive co-president of Student Council, which allows her to observe many activities students engage in.
“When Mrs. Scallon was replaced by Dr. Dodd, there was a lot of new events that go to be added, like the bonfire,” Bacon said. “So when Mr. Thomas came in, I think the biggest thing was he respected what we already had, so he’s totally on board with getting us to do whatever we can for the students to be happy.”
Bacon isn’t the only one who thinks Thomas has had a positive effect on the school. English teacher and WSEA President Stephanie Hausmann (staff) has been a teacher at WHS for her entire teaching career, and during her time she has worked with a total of eight different principals.
“Just being very responsive to teachers and staff’s needs and really making their voices part of the decision process and really relying on them to be the boots on the ground, as the expert, in the field,” Hausmann said. “I think that’s very important and I have always felt that Mr. Thomas has done a good job with that.”
Thomas similarly feels supported by his staff members.
“I think staff is very supportive,” Thomas said. “A part of being supportive though is also being willing to come to me and say, ‘Hey, I want to talk to you about this’ and it could be something they either agreed with but it could be something that they disagreed with.”
In order to have the best school possible, it’s imperative to have good connections and communication with not just students but especially with fellow staff members. Hausmann finds this open communication with administration to be helpful.
“With Mr. Thomas, he’s very genuine, he is very real with teachers. He listens to them, he treats them as professionals. He’s incredibly student oriented … he connects to them on a personal level and a very consistent level, ” Hausmann said. “He’s very present … students knows who he is. They feel that he cares.”
Thomas spends extra time going from classroom to classroom observing and interacting with students and teachers.
“He is more of a relationship guy so (he) loves to just like chit chat and he definitely … enjoys the people part more, and when we work with him, he’s super excited to just do it,” Bacon said. “So I feel like we’ve asked him to do a couple of things … and he’ll just be like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it!’ He is really excited to get it done.”
There’s a note in his office that says “example is the best teacher.” Thomas said he looks at this daily and uses it as a central belief of his in this role.
“Students and other people are watching you,” Thomas said. “A lot of times parents are watching you. So you need to be the example.”
