Mayor Barnett plays principal for a day at Naples High

Among those marked “present” at Naples High School on Monday was Mayor Bill Barnett.

Barnett took a break from governing the city to help oversee daily school operations as part of Collier County Public School’s annual “principal for a day” event.

Aiden Garcia, 16, explains the assignment he is working on in his digital design class with Principal Darren Burkett, left, and Naples Mayor Bill Barnett on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, at Naples High School. Barnett spent the morning attending meetings and touring classrooms with Burkett.

Barnett spent the morning in faculty meetings led by acting Principal Darren Burkett. Staff discussed disciplinary issues, sports schedules, fundraising events and teacher training ideas

“The work that goes into it is just incredible,” Barnett said.

Other community leaders who participated in the event included Naples Performing Arts Center Director Lori Oliver, who visited Mike Davis Elementary; Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Capt. Rusty Godette, who went to Big Cypress Elementary for the day; and Physicians Regional Chief Emergency Room Physician Hunter Brown, who visited Manatee Middle.

Barnett and Burkett swapped notes on issues facing both of their professions, such as how high Naples housing prices are affecting employees, many of whom now commute from Bonita Springs and Fort Myers.

They also talked about parallels in their leadership styles.

Mayor Bill Barnett acted as principal for the day Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, at Naples High School. Barnett spent the morning attending meetings and touring classrooms with Darren Burkett, acting principal of Naples High School.

“The biggest similarity is that you have to be a people person,” Barnett said. “He has to talk to so many different people, as do I.”

After the morning meetings Barnett toured the school and dropped in on classes. Barnett said he was fascinated by how technology has transformed daily school operations. In one English class, for example, some students were reading textbooks on their iPhones and iPads.

“It’s amazing; everything is right there at their fingertips,” he said.

Barnett also made sure to visit his granddaughter sophomore Alexis Van Dien in her chemistry class.

Mayor Bill Barnett, left, and principal Darren Burkett stand in the hall as students head to lunch on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, at Naples High School.

“It was fun to see him,” she said. “He’s a cool guy.”

Barnett also visited a journalism class, where Naples senior Ethan Dorestin had the opportunity to film Barnett for an assignment.

“It a good opportunity to have the Naples community come down and see how things are run here at the school,” he said. “It’d be pretty interesting for a student to be given that chance.”

Naples students Audra Murray and Kristina Hayward were surprised to see the mayor roaming the school's halls and asked Barnett to take a picture with them. 

"It's really cool," said Murray, a junior. "I've never met someone whose job it is to take care of the city."