Congratulations to Sean Molloy, Fairbury Jr. Sr. High School Principal, for receiving the Region I “Outstanding New Principal of the Year” Award! The staff, administration and community are very proud of your accomplishments. Sean has been a fantastic leader for us from the first day he’s been in our district. I remember in his interview, just really listening to his ideas and thoughts and thinking, “This would be great, if we can get him!”
We hired Mr. Molloy to be our Jefferson Intermediate Principal three years ago, and he did a marvelous job of making connections and getting everyone to feel listened to and valued as a person and a member of the team. His focus on students and their academic progress has been fantastic. I’d like to share some comments from the staff about Sean and how this year has gone (thank you Andrea for collecting these):
- “Mr. Molloy believes that relationships are the center of a successful school. However, he doesn’t just say that as a catchphrase; he has created it!
- “Anytime a new principal comes into a school, there is a transition period. Sean’s ability to handle this transition and demonstrate true leadership was immediately apparent. After taking the position, he sought out members of all staff to seek input and gain knowledge about Fairbury High School while thoughtfully making tough decisions on how to best serve our students. His priority was and is clear. He values people. He values the students who we try to reach. He values the teachers who try to reach them. He values the parents who want the best for their children. He values a community that knows the difficulty and the challenges providing a good education presents. Again, he values people. I’d wager that winning this award will make Sean uncomfortable. For me, that says a great deal about Sean and his priorities. He values people.”
- “Mr. Molloy has not only continued to have strong relationships with the 7th and 8th graders that he worked with prior to coming to the Jr-Sr High School, but has established many meaningful connections with the
students he has not worked with previously. The students appreciate
his sincerity, kindness, but also his firm hand when handling discipline
problems. Even the students that he has had to discipline have commented
to me how much positive he is doing for our school.” - “His positive attitude and his caring personality have helped countless students feel welcomed at school. He is always checking in with teachers about how their days are going and if they need anything for the day. This honor is well deserved.”
- “Mr. Molloy has a unique ability to build meaningful relationships with
both students and staff. Mr. Molloy takes the extra time to come and visit
with us to see how things are going. He also will check in with you through a text or a call if he knows something is going on in your personal life. I will
never forget when I had a family emergency and I was out of the
country. He reached out to me to see if there was anything I needed. This
was one of my first experiences with him and it has stuck with me ever since.” - “Some would say that Sean Molloy saved a sinking ship. I don’t even know if that is mechanically possible in the middle of the ocean, but in the midst of many drowning teachers, he has thrown out a life-line. Not only has he lifted us up to set our feet back on steady ground, but he has brought in the sunshine. While sometimes it is still hard to catch our breath, the leader of our school is aware and willing to help.”
It has been an honor to work alongside him and to watch him grow as a leader. While our philosophies are so similar, I am smart enough to know that I don’t need to get in his way. He makes my job as superintendent easy. I can’t think of a more deserving person to receive the Region 1 New Principal of the Year Award, than Mr. Sean Molloy!
