Patrick Westby

Patrick Westby, principal
West Central Area Schools, Elbow Lake

We have all heard the proverbial “It takes a whole village to raise a child.” As school culture leaders, we most likely agree that we could change this saying to “It takes a whole school to educate a child.” Providing safe, nurturing school environments is no small task and takes everyone - teachers, cooks, paraprofessionals, custodians, office staff, health staff, volunteers, and administrative staff - all working together to accomplish this most important goal.

At West Central Area North Elementary, our head custodian has been and continues to be instrumental in our efforts to build and maintain a positive culture within our school. Jeff, as he is known to all students and staff, helps foster this positive environment by all the “extras” he does for our students and staff.

One of the many extra things that Jeff does is to hold various contests with our sixth graders. When our school and Jeff’s alma mater from a neighboring district play athletics against each other, Jeff and the sixth graders have a “bet” to see who will win. If Jeff’s old school wins, the sixth graders must help Jeff with some chore in the school. If WCA wins, Jeff must do something for the sixth graders.

Being able to do this with Jeff has become a rite of passage for our students. They start in the early grades talking and thinking about what they can have Jeff do if he loses a challenge. Jeff has followed through by doing such things as: wearing a Sumo wrestling suit during school, waiting on all the sixth graders during lunch by busing their lunch trays to them, as well as impersonating Elvis on stage at an all-school assembly. These “little” things go huge distances in providing a positive school climate.