Grandville — Alan Bosker is the new principal of Cummings Elementary School. SNN gets to know him better in this edition of Meet Your Administrators.
Other positions you have held in education:
- Special education paraprofessional, Lighthouse Academy
- Counselor, Hope Academy of West Michigan
- Assistant principal, Three Oaks Public Schools Academy
- Principal, West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science
- Principal, Dawson Elementary, Allegan Public Schools
Any memorable jobs that were not in education? “Most notable to helping me find my path in life is that I worked as a camp counselor at Camp O’Malley in Allegan. … I got married, went on my honeymoon and then immediately went to camp for 10 weeks, which I would not suggest for any marriage. But it was there that I got pointed in this (education) direction. That was my “Aha! I’ve got to work with kids!” moment. … They gave me all the naughty kids, and I loved every minute of building those relationships. I knew this is what I was supposed to be doing.”
Education/degrees:
- Degrees in psychology and educational counseling, Western Michigan University
- Administrator certificate, Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals
Family? “I have an incredible family; they’re my people. My wife, Kristen, and I have officially now been together longer than we’ve not been together in life, so that’s a real midlife reality check. But she’s my person, my rock.”
The Boskers have three children: Lucy, 13; Finn, 11; and Ryan, almost 7. The boys do a lot of travel baseball, with their dad serving as coach, while Lucy plays the viola and has become the musician of the family.
Why did you want to become a principal? “It’s a very challenging job, but it’s the most rewarding. Every step in education that I took, parapro to school counselor to assistant principal, I loved it all but also always felt like there was more impact that I could make. … In deciding to become a principal, it really stemmed from that feeling of wanting to impact culture, bring the (school) community together and empower students to make sure they have a voice and feel safety and a sense of belonging.
“I’ve always believed in the approach of starting with love first. Yes, academics are important, but let’s wrap our hands around kids and make sure they’re safe and cared about and (feel) they belong somewhere, and the academics will come into place. … I have fallen in love with the opportunity to get to know kids and see their growth and celebrate their successes.”
What is on your bucket list? “My plan, as soon as we retire, is to go explore the world and see all the different cultures that we haven’t experienced yet. I really appreciate and value seeing culture happening.”
Your favorite grade when you were a kid? “Senior year of high school was the first year that I started feeling comfortable in my own skin. I also made some great connections with teachers. My psychology teacher, for example, was the reason I wanted to explore that (in college). We would talk about the psychology of the individual and societal connections, and it was fun. … Looking back, I think maybe I just wanted to know how I functioned, and how I fit within the culture of everything else, and that was a significant experience.”
What book, podcast or TV show have you been loving lately?
TV/streaming: “Only Murders in the Building”
Podcast: “Smartless” with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett. “I was a huge fan of ‘Arrested Development’ way back when, and this is a similar humor and it just hits me right. It’s a great way to unwind, listening to them on the way home.”
How will you encourage student voice at Cummings? “One thing I’m excited about is that we’re going to recognize a student of the week — a pretty common thing for most schools — but here I’m going to be eating lunch with all the kids. I want to give them all an opportunity to share what they love about our school, what they want to see changed and what their passions are so that we can support them. And it will be my opportunity to enjoy their company, get to know them more and have my ear to the ground to learn what kids are passionate about. … For this community to work and build connections, you’ve got to listen to the kids … and then see what you can make happen.”
What are the best and worst pizza toppings, in your opinion? “I am a fan of pineapple pizza, and I will stand firm with that. I’d have to say anchovies are the worst; anything that’s been in the sea should not be on a pizza. Olives are gross, too. Otherwise, I’ll try anything.”
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