West Brunswick’s Principal Justin Hayes and Vice Principal Melissa Blake are back at it again as the “Dream Team.” Being former coworkers at Cedar Grove Middle School, they are no stranger to working side by side. Both have earned recognition for their roles, with Blake being named Assistant Principal of the Year Principal of the Year just one year later. Now reunited, they are excited to build a stronger school community and relationship.
“We worked really well together for four years, we did some good things there,” said Blake. “I’ve learned a lot from him.”
Back at Cedar, they made an outstanding team. Though they experienced many different challenges, they managed to keep the school a strong and successful place for learning. Hayes and Blake, being the only two administrators for four years, allowed them to figure out how they worked best together. They learned that trust was the biggest key factor in growing.
“When you’re working with one another so closely,” said Hayes. “You have to be able to rely on each other and almost know what the other is thinking. And we do.”
While Blake is new to West, Hayes is returning to a familiar ground. Hayes worked at West for four years, seven years ago. Blake, on the other hand, is stepping into a new territory that comes with new challenges. She has to learn the layout of the school, new teachers and students, and how everything works. Together, they are learning from, and leaning on each other to make the school run smoothly.
“I know the high school, so that helped me a lot during my return,” said Hayes. “I’ve noticed a little bit more of a learning curve with Mrs. Blake.”
“I was a teacher at Richmond High, which is about the same size as West,” said Blake, “So it wasn’t like high school was a surprise to either one of us.”
On top of adjusting to a new school environment, there have been many new changes in rules from the state. Updates on policies like dress code, phone use, outside food and drink restrictions, and many more have been made, adding an extra challenge for the pair.
“We are charged with enforcing these policies, and we’ve met a lot of resistance,” said Blake. “We don’t want people to feel like we’re out to get somebody, that’s my least favorite part of the job.”
After only a couple of weeks at West, the pair is already showing how well they work together and how ready they are to take on many new challenges. With both bringing their own experiences and ideas to the table, they are setting a strong foundation for this school year.
“I’m excited to be able to join this adventure with her, to help her grow to another level where she might not have thought possible,” said Hayes. “Taking that step up into an administrative role and supporting her, and any idea she may have as we grow together.”
