LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After violent videos made national headlines, Iroquois High School has a new principal who is looking to change the school's perception. Rob Fulk is Moore High School's former principal. The reassignment came amidst a string of violence in classrooms.
Fulk entered his new role two weeks ago and is already setting the bar high.
"We're going to have results by year-end," Fulk said. "What we've really tried to do is listen to the students and the staff and kind of see where we're at and see where we need to go."
As soon as Fulk moved into his new office, he met with students and teachers to just listen.
"I said let's talk about the issues that we have on campus, your specific issues and how do we move forward from it," Fulk said. "I think that it's important that we allow students to kind of push-back on the perception sometimes and be able to tell their own narrative."
Fulk said oftentimes the image is twisted from the outside looking in.
"I think we focus way too much on some of the negative that happens – the sensational things," Fulk said.
"We were so looked at negatively like we didn't have potential or anything," senior at Iroquois, Mahogany McKenzie said.
WHAS11 spoke with four seniors and one junior who all said their high school is just like any other.
"There is still violence as in all public schools but when you're at a place like that and you have somebody that comes in and believes in rehabilitation and not just punishment, it's really encouraging," said Senior Sage Townsend.
Fulk said he is meeting one-on-one with the staff to address their needs.
"We will look at thoroughly training our staff in trauma-informed care to be able to recognize what needs students have so it doesn't always have to become a consequence reaction," Fulk said.
Fulk ultimately wants to change the perception with a focus on culture, climate, and improving infrastructure like having students create murals on walls in the hallway to reflect what they could become.
"I've improved my attendance just because I'm excited to see what's next and I want to be a part of that change," Townsend said. "I feel like Mr. Fulk really pushes celebrating the process."
Contact reporter Senait Gebregiorgis at SGebregior@whas11.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
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