At Jonathan Law High School, Staff Focuses On Relationship Building

MILFORD, CT – It was the first day of School for Milford Public Schools on Aug. 30, and at Jonathan Law High School, overall, the day went well.

“A lot of the things you worry about at the beginning of the year are the management things, do students know where they are going, do staff members know where they are going, are buses in the right location and for the most part all that went well,” Bryan Darcy said, Jonathan Law High School principal.

Darcy said there are about 810 students at Jonathan Law High School, and one of the significant things they focused on with them was relationship building from the start of the school day.

“Every student I walked by and talked to throughout the day, I’d ask how their day was going; they had a smile on their faces, and it seemed like everyone enjoyed coming here today,” he said.

A lot of what they talk about at Jonathan Law High School is about relationship building, but primarily, they are a family.

“With a family, you’re going to the community with each other, you're always looking for the best interest of the kids, and every decision we make is because of that,” Darcy said. “Everything we do and all our decisions are for the kids. That decision is set in the summer when we are on our planning days, and it shows throughout the school year.”

Darcy said he talked to students and staff throughout the day, and based on the reaction and conversations he was having with them, they had a good first day.

“I saw the positive atmosphere and the family atmosphere that we have created here at Law, and you saw that all during the day,” he said.

Darcy said they made sure freshmen knew where they were going on the first day and helped them get around the building like they do every year on the first day of school.

“There were several staff members in the hallway directing traffic and explaining how to work through the building,” he said. “The great thing about Law is the Juniors and Seniors were in the hallways helping us, too. The students were there walking around with me and other staff members, saying I’ll help, and jumping in because that’s what they do here at Law. Those are the expectations of our upperclassmen; they are the leaders of the budling, and we follow their lead as well.”

Darcy said overall, it was a smooth and quiet first day.

“This is a special place to work and go to school, and our community knows at this point,” he said. “The biggest thing for me is did students feel supported, heard, and valued today, and I can say they all did. That’s what we strive to do every day. That is my goal every day and every school year.”

“It was a positive start, and I just hope we continue to build on those relationships and everything we’ve built in one day throughout the school year,” Darcy added.