K-M helps develop leaders in education

Two stories in this week’s Dodge County Independent show the strength that the Kasson-Mantorville School District has in developing leaders in education.
Ariana Wright, principal at K-M Elementary School, has been hired as the new superintendent of schools in Lake City. Michelle Krell, who served as the K-M Elementary principal earlier in her career was recently named director of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association.
Wright began her career as a music teacher at St. Michael Catholic School in St. Michael, Minn. She said that the principal at St. Michael showed her how much impact a strong leader can have on a school system. Early in her career, she said, she knew she wanted to pursue educational leadership. She went on to teach music at Belle Plaine and pursue advanced degrees at Saint Mary’s University in Winona and Minnesota State University Mankato. After a couple years as a principal in southwestern Minnesota, she came to Kasson-Mantorville Elementary where she has been for eight years.
She was recently named a National Distinguished Principal.
Krell is a graduate of Blooming Prairie High School and is currently an assistant superintendent with the Owatonna Public Schools and was the principal of the elementary school in Kasson before moving on to Owatonna. In her new role as director of the MESPA she will represent 1,000 elementary and middle school principals throughout Minnesota.
Both women have said that strong leadership can make strong schools and they, in turn, learned leadership from other leaders.
Wright said she has been inspired by K-M Supt. Mark Matuska and that at K-M Elementary teachers, students, and families are all focused on excellence.
That kind of leadership has led to Kasson-Mantorville being named a School of Excellence this year.
Residents of the Kasson-Mantorville School District can be justly proud of the leadership shown by teachers and administrators in the district.
Congratulations to Wright and Krell as they move on to even higher levels of leadership.