Over the last couple of years, there have been many new staff changes at Dover Area High School. One person who was new to the building this year is Assistant Principal Jason Derr. Derr had a colleague come to Dover as an elementary principal. She spoke very highly about Dover, which guided Derr to look into the district. Once the assistant principal position became available, Derr did not hesitate to apply.

During the interview process, he met other staff members which helped him learn more about the district. A year into the position Derr can say without hesitation, that “I am so happy I made the move to DASD.” Despite the complications with Covid-19, Derr’s experience being an assistant principal thus far has been nothing short of amazing. He loves the students, staff, and community of DAHS. Although some days bring more challenges upon Derr than others, he looks forward to coming to work every day. Derr says, “The pandemic certainly threw a wrench in how I envisioned my first year going as an assistant principal.” This is due to the time taken away for things like contact tracing, implementing the health and safety plan, enforcing masks, and one-way hallways. 

Even with the pandemic making his first year complicated, Derr is grateful for the understanding he was given by the students and staff. Derr has learned a lot during his first year in the building, and definitely has so much more to discover. Dealing with issues around the pandemic has slowed the process of fully getting a grip on some processes Dover has. He plans to focus more on those things this summer so he can “start the next school year running.”

In all, Derr enjoys building relationships with everyone. He has been moved by the students’ hearts for the people and dedication towards making DAHS a better place. He looks forward to continuing to build relationships with the students, staff, and community moving forward. Being in a new district has helped Derr grow. He looks forward to the continuation of learning, adapting, and growing.