FHS Alumni News

Alumni nation, please join us in welcoming Joshua Hibbard to the FHS family! Principal Hibbard spent most of his career as a full-time high school Spanish teacher before realizing, post-pandemic, that he felt that there was more that he could do within education. His goal was to help students in a different way and across a broader scope. Transitioning into a formal leadership role, he realized that goal by helping to put a struggling middle school “back together” as an Instructional Coach. His next leadership role was as a High School Dean of Students, a role that mirrors the work of an Assistant Principal, perfectly positioning him as the best candidate to lead FHS.

Principal Hibbard and his family relocated to the area over the summer and we had an opportunity to get to meet him, hear his initial thoughts and get to know him a bit better through a quick Q&A. Welcome Principal Hibbard!

What drew you to FHS? How did you know that this was the place for you?

It was hard not to be drawn to Fairhaven High School given the school’s unique history that I discovered through research online. I watched the YouTube video put out by your Alumni Association, narrated by Mr. Foster, and became even further excited. The size of the community and its seaside location, along with the fact that my wife is originally from Massachusetts, were additional draws. Alongside these things, it was obvious to me from my research that the school was in a place that I felt prepared it to launch into the next phase of excellence.

What has impressed you the most at FHS so far?

There is a tremendous amount of pride in our school and in the community. You can hear it in the way that people talk about our school. You honestly can feel it, too, just being in the building. The reputation of the school means so much to everyone. It has also been remarkable to me to see the look of respect I get when I tell people I am the principal at FHS. It is something I will never take for granted.

What are your Year 1 priorities for FHS?

The most important thing for me is to build relationships with my staff, our students, and our community. Relationships will allow everything else to prosper and will shape the culture of our school. I hope to show everyone what I believe restorative leadership can look like. I also would like to work collaboratively with our administration center, my administrative colleagues, my staff, and our students to build systems that will be long-lasting and ensure a future of not only efficiency, but excellence, for the benefit  of the young people our school serves. I also would like to build the leadership capacity of not only my staff, but also our students, centering our work together on our district’s Profile of a Learner’s 5 Cs: communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and civic participation.

What is your favorite place in the school?

Without question, my favorite place in the school is the Knipe Auditorium . It is the place where I feel the greatest sense of calm, and in which I believe you can see and feel the school’s history the best. I began my first formal meeting with our staff there, and recently received our students’ families there for our Open House. Everyone should spend time just sitting in the Knipe.

If you had to join one of the school's extracurricular clubs or sports teams as an active member, which one would you choose?

Basketball, 100 percent. I have coached basketball at the youth through high school varsity level, and there is nothing like the energy in the gym during a good basketball game. My favorite thing to watch, be it on tv or live in-person, is college basketball.