On the cable network FX, 30 Days is a show that examined one person living an entire monthin an unfamiliar social situation. Living in prison or on an Indian reservationmay seem extreme, but what about living life as a principal? This position atFHS was recently filled by a brand new face, Mr. Dadich. So what experiencesoccurred in the first 30 days of his new job? Q: Could you sum up how you felt about your experiences fromthe first thirty days in thirty words or less? A: I’ll give you two: love it. Love it. Really, I do. Ithink it’s fantastic here. … When I say that I see Freedom being number onehigh school in the state, that’s not because of me. Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced? A: I don’t want to say ‘was’ because I think it still ‘is.’I’d probably say the biggest challenge is fitting in, I suppose. As promised, Ididn’t change any rules; I’ve just been enforcing stuff. I’d be lying if I saidI don’t know, like it doesn’t bother me a little bit when you walk down thehallways. It’s getting better, but that initial shock factor… I’m not Mr.Dadich; I’m probably every name under the sun. I mean I’d be lying if I said itdidn’t bother me, but at the same time, I’m pretty confident with what otherstudents have said and with teachers and everything else enforcing some ofthese rules and making sure that expectations are shared equally across theboard. It’s the right thing to do. Q: What changes or adjustments have you implemented and why? A: Listening to students. Believe it or not, a coupleadjustments already have been made based on the students and teachers. Nochanges have been made really, other than kind of enforcing what is there. Youcan see the list of the Leadership Committee, with the teachers and studentsthat are… ready. We’ll be meeting in a couple weeks. The students haveresponded, actually, very well. I’m waiting for a couple students to stopskipping, you know, and wandering the halls, but other than that, you guys haveresponded really well. So I’m ready to start moving forward with the AdvisoryCommittee and start making those changes that the school needs. Q: Do you plan on incorporating any more changes in thefuture? A: Well that’s probably what’s the best part of it: I don’thave any plans. I don’t want to say it’s like I’m gonna shoot from the hip,‘cause it’s not. I mean I have an idea of where I’d like us to move and whereI’d like us to go, but like I said in the spring when I said that any changes[that are going to be made] are going to come from the student body and thestaff… Q: What has made the experience rewarding so far? A: I don’t know if there’s one rewarding experience. I meanI’ll be honest, I know it sounds cheesy — like an afterschool special — but Ireally do love coming here every single day. I think, probably, if I were tosay a rewarding experience, I don’t want to say it’s one, but the fact thatstudents who were, I don’t know, kind of eyeing me up the first several daysnow walk by and they’ll ‘hello,’ they’ll stop and talk to me, they’ll stop andthey’ll smile for once. I think it’s probably the most rewarding because it’swhat we’re here for. Q: Do you have trouble keeping yourself motivated? Wheredoes that motivation come from? A: No. No, that’s not an issue at all. No, I love cominghere… I was by no means a perfect student, holy smokes, not at all, and thefact that I had so many teachers give up on me, didn’t hold high expectations,the fact that one [teacher] did, kept the bar high and even raised it, reachedout to me and then made a difference. I think that’s where the motivation comesfrom because [my teacher] didn’t give up on me and he didn’t give up on a lotof other students, so, I mean, I could easily throw my hands up and say ‘forgetabout it…’ but you guys deserve better than that, and the school deservesbetter than that. So that’s where my motivation comes from, just wanting to dowhat’s right.