STUDENT COUNCIL

January Staff Shout Outs

Coach Pearson

  • What’s your favorite story or memory you can think of about something that has happened in your time working here?
    • I would have to say probably making it to the state semifinals last football season. It’s not something that happens very often and it got everyone excited. It’s not something I’ll ever forget, I’m sure these kids will never forget, and their families won’t forget. It was a very special time.
  • When you were in high school, did you know what you wanted to do as an adult?
    • Absolutely. I knew from the time I was probably a junior or a sophomore in high school that I wanted to be a teacher and a coach. I had some very influential people that led me to that, and if I can have half of the impact that they had on me, I would love to be able to give back to the profession that was so helpful for me.
  • If there was anything you could change about your experiences here, what would it be and why?
    • I’ll be honest, there’s really not a whole lot of negative that I can think of. If there’s one negative thing, I wish last years’ seniors could’ve had a spring sports season, graduation, and normalcy. Same goes for the kids this year. I wish they could’ve had a normal experience instead of the COVID experience. 
  • What are some qualities you look for in students when trying to connect with them and do you feel respected by the students in your job?
    • The biggest thing, I would like to have students that are hard-working, that aren’t afraid to get out of their comfort zones and try something hard. I think it’s so much more rewarding for them when they’re able to get those things. Perseverance. Never quitting. I was brought up being taught not to quit on anything, and that’s definitely a quality I look for in students. Honesty is a big thing too. I do feel respected. I think they know that I’m tough, but at the same time, I’m fair. 
  • What’s your biggest pet peeve?
    • Probably one of my biggest pet peeves is not putting weights back where they belong. I’m a pretty type-A personality so I expect things to be in the right place. Being honest even though sometimes the honesty might not be one of the easiest things to say. I don’t have a whole lot of heart for liars.
  • What is/are your favorite hobby/hobbies?
    • Obviously, probably my biggest hobby, I don’t know if you could consider that a hobby, is being a dad. Watching all of my kids’ athletic events or choir events or school plays. Something like that is what I enjoy most with my spare time. And coaching.
PHS Staff Shout Out

January 2021 Staff Shout Out

Janelle Thompson

 

  • What sport do you coach? What sports did you play when in high school or college? Did you play any sports?
    • Currently I’m the freshman volleyball coach. I played volleyball in high school and also went on to play volleyball for four years at Elmhurst College, in Elmshurst, IL. 
  • If there was anything you could change about your experiences here what would it be and why? 
    • I’ve had wonderful experiences at PHS, so I don’t think I would change anything. 
  • What are some things you’ve noticed are different between high school now and high school when you went? 
    • There are tons of things, but the one thing that stands out the most would be the presence of social media – i.e. Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram – and how students interact so much through social networking 
  • If you had three wishes, what would you wish for and why?
    • First, I would wish for everything with COVID to end, so life could go back to what we used to consider “normal.”  Second, I would wish for people to show more grace and compassion towards others, as I think kindness goes a long way and no one truly knows what someone is experiencing in their life. Lastly, I would wish for more wishes. 
  • What’s your biggest pet peeve?
    • Probably clutter or my husband not knowing how to properly load the dishwasher. 
  • What is/are your favorite hobby/hobbies?
    • I love horseback riding, cooking, spending time with my family and friends, coaching and playing volleyball, and vacationing (if that’s a hobby)
PHS Staff Shout Out

January 2021 Staff Shout Out

Mrs. Cochran

  • What’s your favorite thing about working at PHS?
    • I am a proud PHS Alumni! It’s great to see the students walking the halls with that same Tiger Pride. I say this all the time, but I truly enjoy coming to work everyday. I have the best co-workers and our students bring a smile to my face and make my day better.
  • What are some things you look forward to each year?
    • At school, I love Homecoming week and all the excitement and school spirit that comes along with it. I also look forward to taking my two sons Trick-or-Treating on Halloween.
  • If you had one hour to live, what would you do, why would you do it, and who would you do it with?
    • I would gather all my family and friends together and eat sushi on a beach while listening to some great music! 
  • What’s your favorite childhood memory? Why?
    • My favorite childhood memory is going to the Wisconsin Dells with my family in the summer.
  • Was there ever a teacher you knew or still know that changed your life? How?
    •  My Pom Coach, Lani Swinford, provided me with some of my favorite memories at PHS. When I returned to Princeton, she became my mentor and close friend. Coaching alongside her shaped me as a coach and ultimately provided me the opportunity to step into her shoes. Her selflessness reminds me to always think of other people…you never know when an act of kindness can make someone’s day. 
  • What’s your biggest pet peeve?
    • When people don’t use their turning signals.
PHS Staff Shout Out

January 2021 Staff Shout Out

Mr. Pollok

  • What’s your favorite thing about working at PHS? 
    • When I first came to PHS I was coming from a very small district.  My classroom was so small it made it hard to do labs.  The facilities here at PHS blew me away.  Also, the technologies that have been available to me have been amazing.  Mostly, the students here have been great to work with over the years.  I have had a lot of fun teaching these students.
  • What’s your favorite movie/book/music artist and why?
    • My favorite movie is Star Wars (Episode 1 – A new Hope).  My dad took me to the drive-in to see it when I was in third grade.  The moment I saw the opening scene with this giant star destroyer flying over, I was hooked.  My favorite music artists are christian heavy metal bands from the 80’s and 90’s called Bride and Guardian.  I got to hang out with the guys from Guardian during a power outage at one of their concerts.
  • When you were in high school did you know what you wanted to be as an adult? 
    • When I left high school I wanted to be a chemistry teacher, a computer geek, or a marine biologist.  I chose to be a teacher because my dad was a science teacher and I also had an amazing chemistry teacher in high school.  The other two options would have also been cool but I have no regrets choosing to be a teacher.
  • Were you in any clubs in high school? 
    • I played football and baseball in high school.  No clubs, I was, however, voted class mooch. 
  • What’s your biggest pet peeve? 
    • I’m getting old now so I’m developing more pet peeves as I go so it’s hard to come up with just one.  Things that bother me are: having to repeat instructions two minutes after I just gave them because someone is just not listening, getting up in the middle of a class discussion to throw something away like the trash can will magically disappear if they don’t do it right at that moment, any of the Chicago sports teams, people who say “literally” in every sentence, people that block the entire aisle at Walmart by putting their cart on one side while staring at the shelves on the other side (keep your cart on the same side of the aisle that your standing on so people can get by), the state of Hawaii having interstates,  whiners, Cubs fans (I guess those last two are the same thing).  Anyway, I better stop there. On a serious note (not that some of the above weren’t serious), It really makes me crazy to see students choose to not to do their best.  I can’t understand how someone can be capable of excelling at something and then be content to be average or below average it.
  • What are some things you look forward to each year? 
    • Retirement.  I don’t mean that in a negative way, my dad taught for almost 40 years before having a great 15 year retirement where he and my mom got to travel all over and spend time with kids and grandkids.  I hope to do the same.  I do look forward to the beginning of every new school year to see the new students.  Both those new to PHS (freshmen) and those who are new to the classes I teach.  I also look forward to trying out new teaching ideas/techniques that I have picked up over the summer.
PHS Staff Shout Out

January 2021 Staff Shout Out

Mr. Nichols

  • What are some things you look forward to each year? 
    • The start of school and football are the two things I look forward to the most each year.  I love that time of year.
  • What is/are your favorite hobby/hobbies? 
    • I like to read, workout, play golf and watch my kids participate in sports and activities.
  • When you were in high school did you know what you wanted to be as an adult? 
    • I wanted to be a football coach, but I didn’t know what I wanted to teach. 
  • What sports did you play in high school or college? Did you play any sports? 
    • I played baseball and football in high school.
  • What’s your biggest pet peeve? 
    • When people serve themselves instead of others, especially when I notice myself doing it.
  • What’s your favorite movie/book/music artist and why? 
    • TV Show- The West Wing.  It is much better than any movie I’ve seen and I can watch it over and over again.

Book- The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon.  I love the message.

Music Artist- Currently, Chris Stapleton

  • If there was any place in the world that you could go, where would it be? 
    • Vatican City
PHS Staff Shout Out

January 2021 Staff Shout Out

Mrs. Cater

  • What’s your favorite story or memory you can think of about something that has happened in your time working here?
    • One of the most exciting things for me was when we were first learning about HIV/AIDS. There was a lot of misunderstanding about it, and when I was doing some research, I found out there was a program with Red Cross where students could become peer educators. We traveled a lot and taught at the other schools in Princeton and other towns. 
  • When you were in high school, did you know what you wanted to do as an adult?
    • Yes. I knew I was going to be a nurse. I had aunts on both sides who were nurses, I always knew. 
  • What’s your biggest pet peeve?
    • People that wear gloves only to protect themselves. They put on the gloves and they touch everything, and then they go back and touch the person. 
  • Was there ever a teacher you knew or still know that changed your life? How? 
    • In the summer of my first year of college, we had to get some work experience. The inservice director at the University of Iowa was my aunts. She was a nurse, of course. That experience was very, very meaningful to me. 
  • If there was any place in the world that you could go, where would it be?
    • Mallorca, just off the coast of Spain. I lived in Germany for a year, and I worked in an army hospital. We would work a bunch of days and then get five-day-weekends and we would get to travel. That was the most fascinating place, Palma, Mallorca. 
PHS Staff Shout Out

January 2021 Staff Shout Out