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On Monday, March 29 the NS school district announced that the current assistant principal, Matt Syme, will be stepping down from his administrative role to return to teaching at the end of this school year, while instructional coach Ryan Syme will assume his position as the new assistant principal. The unexpected change came as a result of Matt Syme’s desire to spend more time
with his family.
“The time commitment is difficult when you have a growing family,” Matt Syme said. “I have three children between the ages of
eight and 16. A lot of times I’m here at events instead of at home with them or worried about whatever it is that went on here at the school. I haven’t spent the kind of time that I would like to spend with my family this year.”
Although Syme is leaving to spend more time with his family, he has enjoyed being able to watch students participate in sports and other activities.
“It’s just fun to see students succeed and it’s fun to see students enjoy what they do,” Matt Syme said.
Principal Christine Straatman believes that Syme is a valuable staff member wherever he works. She shared that even as vice principal, he still had a student come to him for math tutoring. She sees his ability to work in diverse areas.
“I absolutely support Mr. Syme in his decision to go back to the classroom,” Straatman said. “I will definitely miss him, but I’m excited for him, his hearts in the classroom. His heart is in teaching, and I’m excited for him. So really for the school, it’s a win-win. You either get him for the assistant principal working with the kids and SBOs and creating this positive environment schoolwide, or we get him as a math teacher in our math department.”
Nearing the end of the school year,
Ryan Syme will start to shadow his brother Matt and gain experience and knowledge about the position.
Syme was chosen as vice principal after a thorough process. The position was opened to individuals in the school district with an administrative certifi cate. Those
individuals submitted their applications which were then reviewed and consolidated. The remaining candidates were inter-
viewed by a board of offi cials, with Ryan Syme being selected as the new assistant principal. While he’s excited for the new position, he knows what is involved.
“I know it’s going to be way more hours,” Ryan Syme said. “I’m going to have to come earlier to get the school ready for the day and then stay late for games and dances and activities. But even though I know it’s going to be more hours, I’m still kinda excited about it… I think it’s going to be kind of fun to say, ‘This is my school, and this is where I belong.”
Syme is originally from NS but started his teaching career at Tintic School District. After teaching 4th grade at Eureka Elementary School, he returned to North Sanpete in 1999. Syme then taught at the Fountain Green and Mt. Pleasant Elementary Schools. He became an instructional coach at elementary schools and worked at Wasatch Academy for a
summer. Syme then became a secondary instructional coach and has worked at the high school for five years.
Others share Ryan Syme’s enthusiasm about having him step into this new role.
“I’m excited for Ryan to take that position,” Straatman said. “He brings in his own skillset and we’re excited for that.
He’s been an instructional coach for our district, and we are going to utilize that in that position. Part of the school administration is being instructional leaders in our schools and working with our teachers. He brings a lot of experience and knowledge that will help in that aspect of school ad-
ministration.”
