Principal Todd McClaskey has been at FMHS for 16 years, and it has shown. His determination and willpower has shone throughout all those years here, and he has taken very good care of this school. From 2007 to 2023, the school has benefitted from his time here.
Asking different students about McClaskey retiring brought up different points. Some were confused and didn’t even know he was retiring. Drea Leon, a senior, stated, “Wait, he’s leaving? I didn’t even know that.”
Most, however, were sad to hear him go. Jackson Haftel, a senior at FMHS, said, “I usually saw him in the halls in the morning. He always made sure to smile at me and ask how my day was going. He’s a really good principal, and I’ll miss him.” Most shared the same sentiment.
At the end of this school year, many schools around the valley are going to be in the same position as we are: uncertain about their principal for the next school year. There had been many rumors who would replace McClaskey for the principal role at FMHS, but he, himself, reassured me that the new pick for principal, current Assistant Principal Newt Klusmire, would be amazing at the job. In fact, he brightened up completely when I asked him about it. “I’m very proud. He has a lot of the same values that I have. He cares about the students, staff, and community.”
When Sophia Watson, a senior, was asked how she felt about Klusmire inheriting McClaskey’s position, she said, “That’s really nice. I feel like out of most of the administration team, he’s the one that really knows every student’s name. He really bonds with students well, and I hope he continues to do that when he becomes principal.”
McClaskey said that he was first inspired to become a principal at FMHS after he began coaching wrestling here. “You know, I loved coaching. I coached wrestling for two years, then I became a middle school teacher for 11 years. After that, I danced around some other schools until FMHS called me and said they had an assistant principal position open.” He laughed a little before continuing, “I was definitely scared to take on a high school position, but they reassured me that high schoolers were more like tall middle schoolers.”
McClaskey went on to reminisce about his time at FMHS. “When I got the principal position, the principal at the time announced it at an assembly in the gym and all the students and staff gave me a standing ovation. That really gave me the confidence I needed to begin this job.”
When asked what the best part about FMHS was, he was quick to respond. “There’s such a wide variety of kids, and the students here really value education. The Fruita Monument community is really supportive, I think because we have such a diverse community of Redlands kids, some Grand Junction kids, the kids out in Loma and Mack, and, or course, the Fruita kids.”