Dan Scott becomes new administrator at JHS

Claire Van Aken, Staff Writer

Mr. Dan Scott took his new position on the administrative team at JHS at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year. He is a Jacksonville native and a graduate of Jacksonville High School. Prior to the current school year, Mr. Scott taught elementary students in the classroom in two different schools. He was at Alexander Grade School from 2009-2012 teaching all subjects in 5th grade and a combination of 4th, 5th and 6th graders teaching math at Triopia Grade School from 2012-2016. Scott began the 2016 school year in Jacksonville School District 117 as Dean of Students in Murrayville-Woodson and South Elementary schools.

While a student at JHS, he was involved in many extracurricular activities. He played football, baseball, and basketball all four years. He was the captain of the basketball team his senior year. Other than sports, Mr. Scott was a peer mentor or what we call a REF now. He still enjoys going to Crimson sporting events now as Jacksonville High School alumni. Here, at JHS, Scott’s most memorable moments are everywhere. He says, “Everyday I will walk down halls and just remember constant memories. Every hallway will remind me of something funny or something my friends and I did. It’s really a special place.” He also recalls attending volleyballs games with his dad in the West Gym and having GeoBowl in the auditorium. Although he still remembers things that are the same now, he does say things are different and put into new perspective. Now that he is back at JHS, he says he is ready to make new memories.

Mr. Scott says he always wanted to go into education, but he thought about different fields too. “I like the idea of being a part of students’ educational journey. I enjoy helping people,” said Scott. Becoming an administrator didn’t come into the picture until his time at Triopia. He said, “I enjoyed conversations about student needs and gathering data. I fell in love with being able to help meet the needs of the classroom.” Soon after this is when he became Dean of Students at Murrayville-Woodson and South Elementary schools.

Being a brand new administrator at a high school is a big transition, but Scott has some goals he wants to focus on already. “I want to explore and get to know the students, school, and staff. I want to re-establish and build relationships as well as focus on the big question: What do we want?” Mr. Scott wants to encourage students to have purpose when they are at school. “I want them to learn but ultimately to want to be here. You don’t stand a chance if you don’t want to be here. Be here for a reason,” he said. “We will all end up doing something, pick something you love and do it with all you have. Happiness is irreplaceable.”