MONTICELLO - Parents and students in the Monticello school district will see a familiar face sitting behind the superintendent's desk this fall.
Allen Brokopp, the middle and high school principal for the past four years, is stepping into the top administration position.
Dr. Karen Ballin, the district administrator and elementary principal, has retired after serving the school for 10 years.
Brokopp was in a meeting with Ballin Wednesday, July 3, one of many meetings they've had in preparation for the coming school year.
Brokopp said his past four years at the school "flew by."
"This week is definitely flying by," he laughed.
"There's a lot to do in education," he said, "There's the state, the budget, added initiatives, Common Core, educator effectiveness."
Brokopp taught science for nine years in Lac du Flambeau before coming to Monticello. His wife Lori teaches physical education at the school. Their children Miah, a sixth-grader, and Sarah, a fourth-grader, attend the school.
To refill their principal positions, the district combined the jobs and hired Mark Gustafson as the preK-12 principal.
Like the Brokopps, the Gustafson family is all about education. Rebecca Gustafson is a fourth-grade teacher in Mt. Horeb, and their children, Pete, 10, and Ellie, 7, attend Monticello schools.
Mark Gustafson taught high school social studies and was head coach for boys' basketball in the Royall school district before finding his way to Monticello.
He chose Monticello because it's a small town, much like his hometown of Hillsboro, and close to Madison where Rebecca has many friends, he said.
Gustafson recently completed his administrator license and director of instruction license at Viterbo.
And he has a unique experience - he was on the school board in Hillsboro, serving as president for two of his four years. The experience afforded him perspectives on both sides of issues, he said, and he feels it's an asset that will serve the Monticello school district as well.
But Gustafson has one little desire that tops all his administrative skills.
"I'd like to get into youth basketball," he said. "I want to coach fifth-graders."
Allen Brokopp, the middle and high school principal for the past four years, is stepping into the top administration position.
Dr. Karen Ballin, the district administrator and elementary principal, has retired after serving the school for 10 years.
Brokopp was in a meeting with Ballin Wednesday, July 3, one of many meetings they've had in preparation for the coming school year.
Brokopp said his past four years at the school "flew by."
"This week is definitely flying by," he laughed.
"There's a lot to do in education," he said, "There's the state, the budget, added initiatives, Common Core, educator effectiveness."
Brokopp taught science for nine years in Lac du Flambeau before coming to Monticello. His wife Lori teaches physical education at the school. Their children Miah, a sixth-grader, and Sarah, a fourth-grader, attend the school.
To refill their principal positions, the district combined the jobs and hired Mark Gustafson as the preK-12 principal.
Like the Brokopps, the Gustafson family is all about education. Rebecca Gustafson is a fourth-grade teacher in Mt. Horeb, and their children, Pete, 10, and Ellie, 7, attend Monticello schools.
Mark Gustafson taught high school social studies and was head coach for boys' basketball in the Royall school district before finding his way to Monticello.
He chose Monticello because it's a small town, much like his hometown of Hillsboro, and close to Madison where Rebecca has many friends, he said.
Gustafson recently completed his administrator license and director of instruction license at Viterbo.
And he has a unique experience - he was on the school board in Hillsboro, serving as president for two of his four years. The experience afforded him perspectives on both sides of issues, he said, and he feels it's an asset that will serve the Monticello school district as well.
But Gustafson has one little desire that tops all his administrative skills.
"I'd like to get into youth basketball," he said. "I want to coach fifth-graders."