Assistant principal John Byrn has taught at seven different schools during his teaching career including high school, middle school, and elementary school. Now Byrn is the newest face in North Platte High School’s administration. “I’m new to the staff, and I’m new to the kids, so it’ll take some time to build that trust,” said Byrn.

Earning trust and building positive relationships with students is very important to him. “The biggest challenge is getting to know the kids,” he said. “I’m a big believer of helping you get to where you want. I want to make sure that kids are successful and prepared for the future.”

When Byrn was the principal of Jefferson Elementary, at first, he was anxious working with the younger kids. “[The little kids] come up to you, latch onto your leg, or give you hugs. With the bigger kids, you’re mostly hands off,” he said.

One thing Byrn does to be hands-on with the high school students is High-Five Fridays. “At first, the big kids were like ’Oh my god, what is this guy doing?’ But last week, I started seeing some smiles, and I actually saw some people getting into my line to get a high-five,” said Byrn.

When Byrn found out he would be moving to the high school, he said he thought it was a great opportunity. “It feels like I’ve come full circle. I feel honored to be back here at the high school level, and I hope I can contribute. I’ve had great families to work with, great teachers, and great students in the past, and I don’t think that’s going to change up here,” said Byrn.