“We need to have a brief four-minute faculty meeting after school today.”

Rumors and speculations spread throughout the staff concerning the mysterious “four-minute meeting” after school Feb. 23. Could it be a new district-wide curriculum? Were the plans for stadium renovations and aquatic center construction to be finalized? Has a new computer virus hacked into the school security system? Turns out, none of these conjectures were correct. As staff and faculty gathered in the orchestra room at 2:50 p.m., Principal Joe Gilhaus announced his highly-anticipated news: he was leaving South to accept a district promotion.

“The position is Director of Secondary Schools,” Gilhaus said. “I will oversee the day-to-day operations of high school and middle schools, and I will also be working with the principals of those buildings.”

Gilhaus, who has been at South for 17 years (three as Associate Principal and 14 as Principal), applied for this position in early February after discussing it with his family. While this news surprised and saddened many students and staff alike, all were incredibly thrilled for Gilhaus.

“I’m so happy for him, and this is a great jump in his career in the education field. I’ve worked for six different principals, and he is definitely at the top of the list,” social studies teacher Tony Budetti said. “The management here was always top-notch. You never felt like it was your first day doing anything because he was so great and his leadership was terrific.”

While there is currently no announcement about a new principal, teachers are still optimistic about the future of South’s administration.

“It does bring some anxiety,” Budetti said. “[Gilhaus] shed such a positive light on the school, and it flourished because his leadership put us in the right direction. I do have faith that we’ll find someone great to fill in the position, but we will miss his presence very much.”

Gilhaus, too, will miss his time as principal.

“I will certainly miss the students and staff and the day-to-day relationships,” Gilhaus said. “I have been blessed to work with so many good people through the years, and those are memories that I will never forget and will be forever grateful.”