Overlook welcomes new assistant principal
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Sandra Rehler is the new assistant principal at Overlook Middle School. JOURNAL PHOTO/CAITLYN KELLEHER

Sandra Rehler is starting her first year at Overlook Middle School much like the sixith graders she will be overseeing.

Although she is a new face to Overlook, Rehler has been working in middle schools for 30 years.

"My favorite part of this age is no two days are alike for these kids," she said. "It's the excitement and the enthusiasm the kids bring to this age," Rehler said.

Rehler is replacing Jason Young as the assistant principal at Overlook. She comes from Mahar Regional Middle-High School, where she served as the Middle School Coordinator and the Curriculum Coordinator for grades seven to 12.

"(The Middle School Coordinator) is very similar to a principal," she said.

In that role she was charged with over seeing the staff and their evaluations, the curriculum and other management level decisions. As the assistant principal at Overlook she will continue her role at reviewing and managing curriculum but she will also serve as the disciplinarian.

"I'm not a screamer, I'm a listener," she said.

She said the important part of the process is to change the student's behavior. The method of doing this should to establish that there are consequences for every action and to follow through.

"The consequences should be reasonable and logical," she said.

Rehler, a Fitchburg native, said she knows that the middle school years can be tough on students physically, emotionally and socially. She said it is also a tough time for parents.

Rehler has been employed by the district since July and has worked with Overlook Principal Brenda Houle to develop a stronger anti-bullying program and a creating a stronger student handbook.

"They will know what to expect if they don't live up to our expectations," Rehler said.

She also seen the debate over the override for additional school funding that continued through the summer months before failing at the ballot box for the second time on Aug. 14.

"We have to remember our primary reason for getting into this is children," she said. "It means being creative."

Rehler has taught English, social studies and the Title I reading and English/language arts program. She moved into an administrative role in 2002 when she got the role as middle

school coordinator.

Mahar, which serves Orange, New Salem, Pertersham and W is a middle school within a high school so, she worked with a principal and two assistant principals. She also served as the social studies curriculum coordinator for grades seven to 12 for a year before switching that role to the middle school curriculum coordinator.

She liked the position at Overlook because it allowed her to continue her focus on the curriculum development.

"It's been my focus as I've gotten my administrative degree," she said.

Rehler doesn't spend all of her time at school though. She has many interests outside of the classroom as well.

"I enjoy reading. I particular like historical romance fiction," she said.

As an alumnus of Fitchburg State College as a history major, she says she likes to figure out where authors have twisted the facts to fit the story.

She also loves to cook, visit Cape Cod and take just a few quiet minutes on her deck to listen to the birds sing.