By Patrick Baron
BLOOMINGTON – The Unit 5 Board of Education has announced who will fill the position of Normal Community High School principal when current principal David Bollman retires in July.
The board has hired Evans Junior High School principal Trevor Chapman to take over for Bollman. Chapman has been involved with Unit 5 for 12 years, serving as EJHS principal since 2014. Chapman explained he hopes to share his passion of business and technology with his future students.
“I know there’s some exciting opportunities with entrepreneurship programs and our technology department, work program and things like that,” said Chapman. “That’s a passion I have and had as a teacher. I look forward to expanding that in high school and getting to spend some more time in those career and tech ed classes.”
Chapman also said he recognizes the community and nation as a whole are in a rather divisive state. He explained the environment he wants to create for his students will be inclusive and celebrate cultural differences.
“It’s hearing concerns from teachers, hearing concerns from parents, and then addressing those quickly and being as inclusive as possible,” said Chapman. “It’s not about tolerance anymore. It’s really about embracing the differences, identifying what they are, and then what we do with them once we know.”
Unit 5 Superintendent Mark Daniel explained the process of hiring a new principal for NCHS was not something the board took lightly, but after an extensive vetting process, the board decided that Chapman is the best person for the job. Chapman’s first official day as NCHS principal will be July 1.
Patrick Baron can be reached at patrick.baron@cumulus.com.
