Youngquist to Resign: Students Shocked, Saddened by Departure
Students and East High community members reacted with a mixture of shock and disappointment after it was announced at a faculty meeting on Thursday that principal of four years John Youngquist would be leaving the school in late December. “I don’t think it will be the same. I think in terms of a leader it’s rare to find someone who can lead well and be in touch with students. He got East back on the right track, he got us so much funding… he will be missed,” said Senior Kaila Olson.
Youngquist is leaving East to be the new Director of Principal Development for DPS, part of a grant-funded initiative to identify new talent and evaluate old principals and administrators. “I truly want more schools to be a lot like East. I think a part of that is getting the right principals to lead those schools,” Youngquist said of his new position. In explanation of his departure in the middle of the school year, Younquist responded, “it is a disruptive time for the principal to be leaving and I apologize for that. It is a timeline that will help us get a jump on hiring and supporting these new principals.” He also discussed the whole DPS project being behind schedule and that his inconvenient send-off was not part of the original plan.
Student reaction was swift and disappointed. Within hours of posting a status alerting her fellow students to the news, Junior Malaya King’s Facebook wall was plastered with comments. “Whaaaat?” “No way” and “Uh uh, not my vanilla colored husband” were a few of the disappointed posts. King stated her position on the situation: “I’ll be sad to see him go. I would have liked to finish my high school years with him as my principal. I don’t think we’ll find anyone quite like him.” Certainly girls
Teachers and staff alike also expressed their feelings about losing their respected leader. “I think the district needs to do what it can to make sure it has the best people. The new job makes the most of his potential. The school has the opportunity to grow and face new potential because it has great teachers. We’ll be fine. Plus, now I’ll be taller than the principal,” said Assistant Principal Shawne Anderson.
Youngquist himself was emotional about leaving his beloved Angels. “I’ve left many jobs over my time as an educator, but this by far is the most difficult because I haven’t stopped caring any less about East over time up to this moment. My heart lies with East High School. And the hardest moment is not going to be when I walk out the door, it’s going to be the last day before finals when all of our students walk out the door and as the principal I’m seeing everyo
ne walk past that E for the last time.” He expressed his gratitude for the students and staff of East, saying that the only children he cared for more than the students of East were “my own two babies.” He also paid tribute to his dutiful staff: “I’ve never seen a community of teachers who are so motivated to work hard and make sure students are successful.”
Youngquist expressed his intent to continue to communicate with students, stating his plans to set up st
udent lunches with him on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. He also plans on having class meetings to express his feelings directly to the student body. His parting words to the students of East High? “The greatest success comes from working together… Support each other.”
