Meet the Principal
Big dog
Jefferson K-7 students are on their way to developing “spectacular” vocabularies thanks to Principal Rick Muniz’s Big Dog Word of the Week.
Scores on reading tests revealed students could benefit by learning more words and using them in their writing and speech. Muniz drew on the popularity of kids’ favorite literary canine, Clifford the Big Red Dog, to boost students’ vocabularies.
On Mondays, Muniz introduces a new Big Dog Word of the Week. Students have to use it correctly in a written sentence. Muniz chooses authors of some sentences to read their work over Jefferson’s public address system on Friday afternoons -- a highly coveted honor.
Big Dog words are busting the lid off vocabularies, Muniz said. Even lower elementary students are now using “inquisitive,” “tempting” and other cool words thanks to Norman Bridwell’s four-legged literary giant.
Learning and growing
Muniz and staff strive to make Jefferson a nurturing place where every student can grow and learn.
Students in grades 4 to 7 have their lunch and noon recess in gender-specific groups. Muniz said this practice has reduced referrals for misbehavior. It’s also resulted in girls being more active at recess because they don’t have to compete with boys for playground and sporting equipment. Both sexes participate more freely in dances after lunch on Fridays in their same-sex group, Muniz said.
“When students leave us after seventh grade, we hope they will be young ladies and gentlemen who appreciate the uniqueness of each person,” Muniz said. “We will have taught them problem-solving skills, how to find information and to be wise consumers of information.”
Musical family
Muniz, a graduate of Western Michigan University and Michigan State University, has been a Holland Public Schools administrator for 14 years. He and wife, Marta, have two daughters in college.
Muniz has strong emotional ties with his large extended family, which includes 50 first cousins. His father, brother, and many uncles and cousins like to make music. Many of them are in professional groups. They also like to jam together, even though they live throughout Michigan and can’t always gather physically. More and more, Muniz family jam sessions take place over Skype.
Muniz also enjoys video production and editing. His first career was in journalism. His second was in Hope College's Upward Bound program.
Contact Rick Muniz by phone at 494-2503, or by e-mail
Others who help the school run smoothly are Camilla Trevino-Looby and Bernadine Francis
