New Administration Arrives at CMS Wednesday, September 30, 2009 By Zane Clark Mr. Albright shows his number one concern is the kids. - Advertising As the new school year began, it brought with it a new administrative staff for Cameron Middle School (CMS). Mr. Jay Albright moved up from Vice Principal to Principal with the departure of Dwight Sanders.  CMS Secretary Pam Cole said, "Jay is very similar to Mr. Sanders because, like him, his number one priority is the students and he cares for them a lot." Mr. Albright has high hopes for CMS this year and wants to help all his students to receive the best education possible. As principal his responsibilities include building management, making sure teachers are teaching the curriculum, a little discipline, and making sure grade level expectations (GLE) for state assessments are met. Mr. Albright spent two years as the Vice Principal of CMS and he spent another ten before that as a Co-Band Director at CHS. All thirteen years of his professional career (including this one) have all been at Cameron, including student-teaching. Mr. Albright plans to stay in Cameron, "Until they kick me out. My family and I really like it here and we consider Cameron home." He has a Bachelors of Science in Education from Missouri Western State College, a Masters Degree in Administration from William Woods University, and is currently working on earning his Specialist Degree in administration also from William Woods University.  Even though he doesn't get to play music every day with his new position, music is still a large part in his life. Mr. Albright is a member of two performing bands. He is the lead steel drum player in the steel drum band "Soca Jukebox," and he plays the drumset in a punkabilly band named "Pig Farmer." Mr. Albright said, "Outside of my family, music is my first love. It always has been and I love performing."  He co-directed the Cameron High School (CHS) marching band for four years with Mr. Shane Jones.  Mr. Jones said Mr. Albright still helps with the band. "He isn't doing anything this year, but last year he arranged our percussion feature."  Originally Mr. Albright had not planned to move from band director to administrator.  He said, "I had thought just a little bit about administration, it was something that I kind of fell into. It wasn't something I really wanted, but when it opened up I just thought about it more and took it."  Mr. Albright loves working in a school, making an impact on students lives, and he has an appreciation for teachers a lot of administrators don't because he has been in their shoes. He said, "Ten years ago I would have said I enjoyed teaching more, even up to the day I switched. Now, at this point in my life, I think I prefer what I'm doing." Mr. Albright looks forward to many successful years to come for CMS, and he is willing to help in any way possible because the kids are always his first priority.

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