Mr. Chris Heath joins the Schafer family as our new Assistant Principal. He began his career in education at an accelerated middle school. Most recently, Mr. Heath served as an Assistant Principal at Allen Elementary School in East Aurora School District 131.
When he is not at school, he spends time with his wife Collen, whom he has been married to for 15 years as of July. They met in high school so they have known each other for longer than that. They have 2 kids, Philip (11) is a 6th grader at Glen Westlake Middle school and Mckayla (9) is a 4th grader at Butterfield Elementary. The family also has two pets; a dog named Bonnie and a crested gecko named Charmander.
He shares that his favorite part about being in education is supporting staff to continue their growth and seeing their efforts help kids be the best that they can be! When he thinks about his own school experience, he shares that his favorite teacher was his high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Smith. Not only was Mr. Smith the theatre director, but also showed students how the things they were learning in chemistry applied to the real world. That real world application was something that stuck with Mr. Heath as he started teaching as a thing that really engaged kids.
Mr. Heath wants our Sharks to know it is ok to fail. We learn from our mistakes, not from being perfect. If we already knew everything, we wouldn’t need school, so don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Try, and if you’re not right, ask for help and try again. That’s how we grow.
Mr. Heath’s wish for the 2023-2024 school year is for everyone, students and staff alike, to be pushed to meet their potential.
Fun Facts:
Years in education: Starting 17th year
Birthday: January 6
Favorite school subject: Social Studies/History and Science
Favorite color: Blue
Favorite hobby: Working on Legos with his kids, gardening, writing
Favorite drink: Water (gotta stay hydrated)
Favorite food/restaurant: He likes all kinds of foods. He wouldn’t say he is a foodie, but he is always looking for something new to try. His top 3 are Mexican, Chinese, and Pizza (no pineapple please)
Favorite sports team: Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears
Favorite music: He likes a lot of different kinds of music, it really depends on what mood he is in.
Favorite place visited: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Dream vacation: Hiking in the woods. Hoping someday soon to get to the Pacific Northwest.
Surprising fact: He used to be in choir and did theater through high school and college. He also thinks he is fairly handy around the house.
Favorite quote: Treat others as they way you would want to be treated and Be the change you want to see in the world.
