Every day when your parents send you to school, they are sending you for two reasons, according to Etowah’s new principal, Robert Horn. 

“School exists to keep kids safe and get them educated,” said Horn.   

He wants an environment that challenges students to learn, one where students learn to accept criticism and use it to be better themselves. Horn has made the point that having high test scores and students growing academically are two very different things. 

His goal is for Etowah to grow, and one of his ideas is to improve classroom delivery. If teachers enhance the way they deliver lessons to students, the goal is for all students to gain as much knowledge as possible.  This would further education growth. 

“Honesty gets you leniency,” said Horn.  

As both a principal and a person, Horn values honesty over everything else. He believes everyone should be accountable and take ownership of what they do. Accountability is the main reason behind the CCR bells and tardy policy. He felt that the timing of bells between each class period would make the transition more organized while giving students enough time to get from class to class. His goal for the tardy policy is holding students accountable for their use of time without taking time from the teacher.  

“I wanted a profession where I had variety,” said Horn. 

With teaching, there are options with grade level and subject. Horn wanted to go into the field of education, so he could impact students the way his teachers impacted him. His journey has brought him to Eagle Mountain where he wants to be remembered as fair and helpful. He would like to leave Etowah better than he found it, but Horn does not believe in changing things just for the sake of change.  

“I don’t believe I’ve had an accomplishment at this school so far,” said Horn. 

He does believe that when anything is accomplished, the students and staff deserve credit because he only guides the ship that is Etowah High School, steering it along its journey.