A Batavia principal on Tuesday had her best first day of school ever, thanks to a surprise from a loved one.

The boyfriend of Dr. Jan Wright proposed to her in front of the entire Alice Gustafson School student body and faculty during a first day of class assembly.

“Jim (Dillenburg) is the most romantic man I know,” Wright said in a message sent to the school community on Tuesday afternoon. “So it was not surprising that he chose to propose this way. I couldn't be happier."

Dillenburg coordinated the surprise proposal with district administrators. When the time came, he was wearing a portable microphone and was ready to catch Wright off guard.

The Big Moment

Just as Wright concluded the Tuesday morning assembly, Dillenburg visited the auditorium filled with more than 400 elementary school students, teachers, and district administrators. It was there that he presented Wright with a rose, a diamond ring, and an offer she didn’t refuse. 

With hundreds of students screaming “yes,” Dillenburg got down on one knee to propose. It was clear the students approved of the proposal, displaying thumbs-ups and high fives.

“She loves the kids and they love her,” Dillenburg said of Wright. “So, I thought this would be a cool way to get them involved and let them know that she’s getting married."

Wright and Dillenburg were introduced by a mutual friend from Alice Gustafson. Wright became principal of Alice Gustafson in 2011. She was previously the school district's associate superintendent for teaching and learning.

Wright might have highlighted the “Four P’s” of the school—perseverance, patience, practice, and power—during Tuesday’s back-to-school assembly, but it was another “P” word that made the day especially memorable for Dr. Wright and her students. The word “proposal.”  

This information was courtesy of Batavia Public Schools, with reporting from Charles Menchaca.

Read other recent Batavia school stories in our School News section of the site.