Kimberly Meyer is new NRHEG principal

Dr. Kimberly Meyer joined the NRHEG school district as its new elementary principal as of July 1, taking the position held for the past three years by Craig Kopetzki.

Meyer comes to NRHEG from Jackson County Central, where she had been principal for the past five years. She says she is glad to be staying in a small-town atmosphere where people take a cooperative approach and focus on the well-being of the students.

“I’ve always heard really good things about the district,” she observes. “I’ve felt welcomed, and I look forward to really getting to know the staff and the students.”

Meyer is originally from North Carolina. She and John, whose family is based in the Wells area, have been married for almost 30 years, having met at a friend’s wedding. The two of them have three children, Leah, Isaac, and Madison. Madison, the youngest, is a high school student at USC.

Meyer began her career as a teacher in North Carolina; when she and John moved to Wells, she joined the staff of USC elementary. Her experiences in education span more than 20 years, and include elementary classroom teacher, elementary and middle school principal, and teaching in higher education at Waldorf University, and Gustavus Adolphus College. She completed her doctoral degree in 2015 at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Through it all, however, Meyer states she has remained a “school nerd” who loves the back-to-school season and shopping for school supplies.

Meyer says the most important job of a principal is to ensure “a safe, welcoming environment for students.” Doing so, she continues, begins with making sure staff members have the resources, training and supplies they need to deliver instruction effectively.

She believes another vital element is strengthening the interconnections between the school and community. “The school is a center point,” she observes. “We want people to feel they’re part of what goes on here.” She mentions conferences, concerts, performances and other events as opportunities to highlight that connection.

As fall approaches, she said she will want to begin to put together plans for the teachers’ back-to-school workshop and professional development. Simultaneously, she will begin putting together packets and information for students and their families.

“I’ll be getting all my ducks in a row,” she says with a smile.

For the time being, her priority is to “get to know the lay of the land.”

“I won’t be planning any major changes until I have a stronger understanding of the environment,” she said. “This has been a successful school where the students are the first priority. I want to respect the people here and what they’re doing.

“Then I will look for the ways I can be a good resource.” She mentions recent changes imposed at the state level, including a new language arts curriculum to be delivered school-wide.

“Things are always changing in education,” she observes. “So you have to be flexible.”