Dr. Larsen: Welcome to the new KSD
Photo by JOSH MCDONALD Kellogg School District’s new superintendent Dr. Nancy Larsen stands in front of her newly painted district office.
KELLOGG — Kellogg got their guy, or more aptly, got their lady.
Dr. Nancy Larsen is ready to take the helm as the leader of the Kellogg School District as they head into the new school year.
After a long and arduous process, the Kellogg School District appointed Larsen to the position of superintendent last June.
Dr. Larsen is a Kellogg graduate and was the curriculum director for both Kellogg and Wallace school districts from 2016-2018 (a position now filled by former Kellogg teacher, Ryan Bryson).
She has already set several goals for herself and the district alike, which she believes will pave the way for success in Kellogg moving forward.
Communication and community are the basis for these goals.
“Face it, at the end of last year things were a little rough between the district and the community,” Larsen said. “I think that it wasn’t so rough that we can’t fix things. So one of the things I looked up was how to more effectively communicate with people.”
Larsen then discovered the “Dignity Model” by Donna Hicks, which teaches respectful communication between one another.
“I don’t know that it will cure everything, but it is a step in the right direction,” Larsen explained. “We want to be ready when conflict arises, because conflict is going to happen. There is always going to be conflict, but it’s how you handle it that’s important.”
Larsen plans to be visible and involved in the activities at the four schools she serves, as well as having an open-door policy that bodes well for her emphasis on communication.
As mentioned previously, Larson feels that the discord between the district and the community is a glaring issue that needs to be resolved.
“We need to rebuild our relationship with the community,” she said. “And to make that a really strong and interactive relationship because the school is the community, especially in a small town like this one. We haven’t broken it with everybody, but just to have more people saying, ‘we love and support Kellogg Schools,’ that’s going to be very important to me.”
Larsen is also focusing on attracting teachers who want to stay in the district.
“When people talk about Kellogg School District, we want there to be a positive feel,” she said. “When we have an opening that we get several qualified applicants who want to come here, be here and stay here.”
Above all else, Larsen just wants to welcome everyone, new or old, to the Kellogg School District.