From the Middle/ High School Principal

by Jason Gorst

The last eight years have been some of the most rewarding years of my life. I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve as the middle and high school principal for the School District of Spencer during that time frame after spending 10 years in the classroom as a social studies teacher. A lot has changed through the years, but the family-first atmosphere at Spencer has remained the same. I will be forever grateful for the students, staff, parents and community members I had the opportunity to work with during my tenure. I have learned a lot through those years and have grown significantly as a person and a professional.

Mr. William Otte will be taking over the principal position next year as I will move into the superintendent role with the retirement of Mr. Michael Endreas. I am excited to see what Mr. Otte, our staff and our students will accomplish next. We have a great group of kids and a staff that is second to none when it comes to their instructional talents, work ethic, relationship-building skills and the ability to have an impact on future generations. In an era of teacher and worker shortages, I feel great about the group of people who will continue to serve as leaders in the classroom and throughout our building.

During my 18 years as an educator, there is nobody who has influenced me more than Mike Endreas. When I hear our staff talk about a family atmosphere, building relationships and focusing on what is really important, I am reminded that all of those ideals trickle down from the man who has been the leader of our district for almost two decades. Mike walks the walk when it comes to a family-first atmosphere. He encourages all of us to foster relationships with each other, our students, their parents and the community. He reminds us to not lose sight of what we are really here for: the students.

When I look around the state and see the revolving door that is what many administrator jobs have become, I think about how fortunate we have been in Spencer to have a consistent, steadfast leader. It has allowed us to continue to move forward and not be stuck in the rut of continual change in leadership. Commitment to a school like Mr. Endreas has demonstrated to the School District of Spencer is something that is rarely seen these days. Mike has been the leader of the Rocket Family and while he may not be seen in the hallways on a daily basis next year, the virtues that he has instilled in our school will continue to carry us forward. I wish him a sincere congratulations on his retirement, the best of luck in whatever he does in the next chapter of life and a heartfelt thank you for all he has done for me personally, professionally and for the community of Spencer.

I am humbled and honored to serve as the next superintendent of the School District of Spencer. I am looking forward to continuing to grow relationships, partner with the community, support our staff and cheer on our students. I will strive to maintain the same family-first atmosphere that is appreciated by so many in our district. We will continue to put students first with an emphasis on their learning and preparation to become successful adults. To do this we will need to focus on retaining veteran staff as well as the recruitment and development of new staff when needed. We will also focus on community engagement and look to continue to foster trust within the community by being fiscally responsible and planning with the future in mind.

There is nobody who is more aware than myself of the type of leader that I am following. To put it very simply: I have very big shoes to fill. I am grateful for the opportunity and I look forward to working with the students, staff, parents and community members here in Spencer. I am excited for many days in which it truly is a great day to be a Specer Rocket!