MONROE - Five of the six schools in the Monroe school district have new principals, or assistant principals, taking the helms of their schools this year.
Lynne Wheeler, principal at Monroe Middle School, already had served 30 years in the district as a special education instructor, interim principal at Abraham Lincoln elementary school and assistant principal at Monroe High School.
She stays in the education field, she said, because "every day's different."
"Great staff and great kids" make every day interesting, and she remains in education after all these years to "make a difference," she said.
Monroe Middle School Assistant Principal Melissa Wiegel also serves as the dean of students. She comes from Darlington and previously was student counselor and assistant principal in Argyle.
Her job is to create solutions, which leads toward building a better community, Wiegel said.
She said she gets to see students in the classrooms and hallways, but Wiegel most enjoys "observing the kids with their teachers and peers in a learning environment."
Robin McLeish got her career started teaching business education at the high school in the 1980s.
"I've spent a lot of time here," she laughed.
Now with her administrative degree, she has become Monroe High School's assistant principal.
McLeish said she came to Monroe for her first teaching position and stayed.
"That says a great deal about the community," she said.
McLeish said the toughest part about being a principal is getting students to believe they need a high school diploma to better prepare for the future in private or academic life.
"We need to educate so they are college ready or career ready," she said.
Finding a niche in society that falls in line with a student's interest can be difficult, McLeish said, but programs, like school-to-work, help.
Northside School's new Principal, Amy Timmerman, said getting students interested in school work depends heavily on their own interests, for example, in history, social studies, make-believe, fiction or non-fiction.
There is no trick to finding out what interests students, she said.
"Just talk to them," she said. "I find they are always more than willing to talk with you about their interests."
Timmerman spent five years at Northside as the school's psychologist.
"Knowing the staff, students and building inside and out helps tremendously," she said, about the switch to administration.
"The staff has been phenomenal with the transition," she added.
New to the district, Eric Huinker is Parkside Elementary School's new principal.
Huinker said he likes Parkside's diversity and finds the staff wonderful. He is looking for a place to settle down with his family, and he plans to make Monroe home for a long time.
"I was very selective," he said about taking the position in Monroe. "I turned down two other offers to come here."
Huinker said Monroe has everything you need in shopping and community activities for a family, and retains a small-town atmosphere.
"I love it," he said. "The kids are wonderful, the people are welcoming," he said.
Huinker originally comes from Monona, Iowa, and last worked in Norway, Iowa, which has a population of about 850, he said.
The decision to come to Monroe was an important one.
"You need to make a life-changing decision at least one time," he said.
Lynne Wheeler, principal at Monroe Middle School, already had served 30 years in the district as a special education instructor, interim principal at Abraham Lincoln elementary school and assistant principal at Monroe High School.
She stays in the education field, she said, because "every day's different."
"Great staff and great kids" make every day interesting, and she remains in education after all these years to "make a difference," she said.
Monroe Middle School Assistant Principal Melissa Wiegel also serves as the dean of students. She comes from Darlington and previously was student counselor and assistant principal in Argyle.
Her job is to create solutions, which leads toward building a better community, Wiegel said.
She said she gets to see students in the classrooms and hallways, but Wiegel most enjoys "observing the kids with their teachers and peers in a learning environment."
Robin McLeish got her career started teaching business education at the high school in the 1980s.
"I've spent a lot of time here," she laughed.
Now with her administrative degree, she has become Monroe High School's assistant principal.
McLeish said she came to Monroe for her first teaching position and stayed.
"That says a great deal about the community," she said.
McLeish said the toughest part about being a principal is getting students to believe they need a high school diploma to better prepare for the future in private or academic life.
"We need to educate so they are college ready or career ready," she said.
Finding a niche in society that falls in line with a student's interest can be difficult, McLeish said, but programs, like school-to-work, help.
Northside School's new Principal, Amy Timmerman, said getting students interested in school work depends heavily on their own interests, for example, in history, social studies, make-believe, fiction or non-fiction.
There is no trick to finding out what interests students, she said.
"Just talk to them," she said. "I find they are always more than willing to talk with you about their interests."
Timmerman spent five years at Northside as the school's psychologist.
"Knowing the staff, students and building inside and out helps tremendously," she said, about the switch to administration.
"The staff has been phenomenal with the transition," she added.
New to the district, Eric Huinker is Parkside Elementary School's new principal.
Huinker said he likes Parkside's diversity and finds the staff wonderful. He is looking for a place to settle down with his family, and he plans to make Monroe home for a long time.
"I was very selective," he said about taking the position in Monroe. "I turned down two other offers to come here."
Huinker said Monroe has everything you need in shopping and community activities for a family, and retains a small-town atmosphere.
"I love it," he said. "The kids are wonderful, the people are welcoming," he said.
Huinker originally comes from Monona, Iowa, and last worked in Norway, Iowa, which has a population of about 850, he said.
The decision to come to Monroe was an important one.
"You need to make a life-changing decision at least one time," he said.