Coffee Talk with Robert McQueen Principal Freeman Holbrook

High school is a memorable time, so I was excited to meet Robert McQueen High School Principal, Freeman Holbrook to see what high school was like nowadays. Walking through one of the main entrances a sea of orange lockers welcomes me at the door. Who doesn’t remember hanging out with friends at the lockers? But my nostalgia subsides after Freeman says, “we’re looking to have these lockers removed because kids hardly use them. So much of our classroom curriculum is done online and through teacher creativity nowadays.” Wait, no lockers in high school?! I suddenly realize how much things have changed since I was a Senior and how out of touch I might be when my elementary school children head to high school. While I may be disconnected from high schoolers, thank goodness Freeman Holbrook, our new McQueen High School Principal is very connected to the high school experience.

A married father of four, Freeman grew up in South Reno and attended Galena High School. He graduated from UNR with a degree in Criminal Justice and for a few years after college Freeman was a police officer and coached football at Sparks High School. It was coaching that sparked Freeman’s passion for mentorship and his love of education. He spoke to me about a particular high school athlete who had immense football talent but needed more academic assistance to get into college. Freeman supported that student to Kansas State University on a D1 full-athletic scholarship and after graduation, his mentee returned to Reno and is now teaching at a local Reno high school. Freeman witnessed his own mentorship make a difference in people’s lives who then went on to inspire others – a full circle of community support that came from helping a student gain confidence in themselves and their ability to succeed.

Quick Facts:

• 1,650 students pulling from Billinghurst, Clayton Middle Schools

• Achieving a graduation percentage of 91%

• This year celebrating 40 years of educating Northwest Reno students

After deciding to change careers, Freeman furthered his education by getting two master’s degrees from UNR and Sierra Nevada College, one in Educational Leadership and the second in Elementary Education while teaching math at Cold Springs and Social Studies at Depoali Middle Schools and coaching high school football at Galena and Damonte Ranch. He then became the Dean of Students at Damonte High School where he focused on teaching leadership and building relationships with parents.

In addition to working in the Washoe County School District, Freeman spent two terms (4 years) working with the Nevada State Board under Governor Sandoval. His role as the educational representative on the state board of education focused on helping lawmakers who typically have little direct experience in education create and implement appropriate curriculum and testing legislature. This important role gave Freeman visibility across many Nevada county education initiatives for best practice sharing.

In 2016, he stepped down from his role with the Nevada State Board to become Assistant Principal of Galena High School and after a year transitioned to become the assistant principal at Damonte Ranch High School. After three years in that role, he accepted the Curriculum Assistant Principal position at Wooster High School facilitating their International Bachelorette Program and their English Language Learner (ELL) programs. He was at Wooster for 2 years and today, in addition to his new role as our McQueen High School Principal, he is the President of the Washoe Principal Association with membership of over 240 elementary to high school Assistant Principal and Principal members.

When asked about what Freeman is passionate about, he answers “Schools affect everybody, whether you have kids in school or not. The community’s role is to work together to help these young minds succeed especially post pandemic where many students are hooked to their phones having spent a lot of time in lock down instead of learning important peer socialization.” Strong positive social relationships are important because students have increased responsibility and independence with the direct ability to make long-term decisions that affect their future, decisions such as tardiness and attendance (which is currently an important issue at the school), employing good study habits, driving, employment, and participating in extra curriculars. Freeman’s “3 Important Things List” for parents are:

1. Proactively monitor attendance - parents can log into Infinite Campus www.infinitecampus. com or use the app to make sure their children are attending all classes, on time.

2. Participate in grades – parents can keep track of academic progress in real–time using Infinite Campus and get ahead of problems before grades are finalized.

3. Encourage students to use Paper Tutoring – students can access free, live tutors 24x7 that provide feedback and assistance on assignments and teachers monitor the progress of students using the tool. Visit: www.washoeschools.net/Paper to learn more.

Many McQueen High School students reside and work for our Somersett HOA and as residents, our role in the community is to set a good example, provide support, and help them thrive. It isn’t lost on Freeman that when the community inspires and mentors a high school student, the inspiration baton is often passed from the high schooler to younger residents in our community who look up to them. That circle of community support in full effect. We appreciate and thank Freeman for his leadership and all the McQueen High School staff for supporting and encouraging our high schoolers to do and be their best.

Who is Robert McQueen?

A prolific public servant, Robert McQueen, PhD. , served on the school board as Member, Clerk, VicePresident, and President. He joined the faculty of UNR as a Professor of Psychology and for many years served as the University Chairman of Scholarships and Prizes Board. His public service included terms on the Sparks Recreation Board, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and the Sparks Junior Baseball League. He served for years as a consultant to the Nevada Mental Health Institute and was appointed to successive terms on the Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners.

This is one of a series of articles featuring the schools where our youngest Somersett residents spend most of their time. Guest author: Kim Maples, Somersett resident and parent.