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Glass recaps school year, preps for graduation
By Michael Butler
Drew Glass now has two years under his belt as prinicipal at Tallassee High School. He has spent both of those academic terms in a portable building with a front-row seat of the construction of the new $21 million school that will be open to students in August.
"It's been a joy to watch it being built before your eyes," Glass said. "It's simply been amazing. It's going to be a dream come true. The city of Tallassee should be proud of what we're going to have. I walked through it last week. They're getting ready to do the finishing touches. It's going to be state of the art."
Glass, like the rest of the staff and student body, are ready to break free from the cramped quarters and break in the new facility. A ribbon cutting is scheduled for Aug. 2.
"I've been in a mobile unit my whole career as a principal. The building is fantastic."
The school year always culminates with graduation for the senior class. The ceremony is scheduled for Friday, May 26 at J. E. "Hot" O'Brien Stadium at 8 p.m. The 107-member 2023 class brought in $1.3 million in scholarships.
"That's a lot of money," Glass said. "The students are resilient. This senior class has not had a normal high school schedule their whole career. That goes for almost all the kids on the campus."
Not every minute is rosy. A principal sometimes serves as a peacemaker. Glass has broken up more than a few fights. He kept a recent incident from escalating off the THS campus when tensions got high in the stands between fans at a baseball game in Valley.
"That's my job - safety of the students, the parents, the fans. I've always got my head on a swivel. If I can get in the middle, I'll put myself in that situation. You've got to have a lot of patience."
At the conclusion of Friday's commencement exercises, families and friends will be allowed on the field for photographs.
"It went well last year," Glass said. "It's a milestone for these seniors. For some of them, this is the only graduation because they're going straight into the workforce. Last year we got it in 53 minutes. It's going to be a great day."
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