She ‘really is the principal’ at Ivanhoe
On Heather Anderson's first day as principal at Lincoln Elementary School in Ivanhoe last week, she greeted the students as they arrived in the morning.
One bright-eyed kindergarten boy walked over to Anderson, looked up at her and asked: “Are you really my principal?” “I really am your principal,” Anderson responded. The boy’s approval was revealed in his wide smile as he walked away.
That's when Anderson, a former Minneota English teacher, really realized she was a principal. “That just melted my heart,” she said, “those big blue eyes looking up at me and then that big smile.
That’s when I realized I had made the right decision.” Anderson is known as the instigator of the flex seating program in Minneota that students really enjoyed as a new and comfortable way to study. Her unconventional classroom was even featured on a WCCO-TV segment last year.
“Several teachers (at Lincoln Elementary) have already started to implement flexible seating in their classrooms,” she noted. “It has been great to see.”
Anderson replaces former Lincoln Elementary Principal Courtney Frie, who took a position at Lakeview Public School in Cottonwood.
Anderson's last day as teacher at Minneota was May 21. She took just one day off before starting her new administrative position on May 23 in an attempt to acclimate herself to her new school and its classrooms, teachers and students.
“I was just going through files and trying to learn some things so it would be easier for me when school started,” said Anderson, who lives in Minneota with her husband Jerry and their three children.
Anderson, a 2002 Minneota graduate, began teaching at her Alma mater five years ago. She taught English 8, English 10, and College Now writing and speech.
“Ever since I could remember, I have wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I never really thought about being a principal until a few years ago.”
“Then I really started to feel like moving into the role of a principal was what I wanted to do. “I wanted to make an impact on more students, and I wanted to work more closely with not only students and staff, but also families and community members.” When Anderson heard that Frie had accepted a position at Lakeview, she began to watch the Lincoln Elementary website for the announcement that the position was open there. After she applied and was offered the job as principal last spring, her response came quickly.
“I did not take any time to think about it,” she said. “I accepted the position immediately. I was very excited for the opportunity to be principal of Lincoln Elementary.”
At the end of the school year, Anderson visited her new school to meet with the staff and students. “That was so exciting,” she said. “I could not wait for the next school year to start.” A few weeks after that, Frie moved out of her office and Anderson began settling in. “I brought a few tubs with items that I wanted in my new office,” Anderson said. “This time it wasn’t items brought into her classroom, but her own office.”
“It’s still strange to think about,” she admitted. “I put the tubs down and sat in my new chair. I just sat there and looked around for a bit. I was so excited and nervous all at once.” Anderson quickly adapted to her new position. Personable and articulate, she is enjoying the bond she is building with the staff and community members. “I absolutely love collaborating with the teachers,” she said. “We are creating a strong team. I enjoy being able to help the teachers whenever they need anything. I also call my mentors quite frequently for advice and guidance.” Anderson said the toughest part so far about being a principal is not having her own classroom anymore. “But the teachers have all welcomed me into their classrooms,” she said.
“It has been fantastic. I love being able to work with all the grade levels.” “The best part is being a part of almost every aspect of the school. I enjoy making a school-wide impact. I also love working so closely with all of the staff members and community members.” Although she has only been principal for a short while, Anderson is slowly getting accustomed to her new role. “I have already learned that no two days are the same, which is why I love working in education,” she said. “I try to welcome the kids at the door each morning and say goodbye each afternoon. I also try to speak with all the students at lunch.” Even though she is no longer teaching at Minneota Public Schools, Anderson will never forget the memories she made there. “I miss the students and staff at Minneota Public School,” she said. “I was overwhelmed by all the emails, text messages and phone calls of support I received the first day of school from Minneota staff members and my former students. I appreciate all their support.” And now she is making similar friends and memories in Ivanhoe.
“The entire staff and community at Lincoln Elementary have been so welcoming,” she said. “I am happy that I get to be a part of both communities.”
One Anderson to another Although not related, Kelsea (Tolk) Anderson replaces Heather Anderson as the new English teacher at Minneota.
Anderson is a 2013 graduate of Minneota High School who earned her Communication Arts/Literature Education (plus English and Speech) degree at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
She taught last year at Marshall High School before taking the job in Minneota this year where she will teach English 8, English 10 and English 12.
She will also teach junior high speech next semester. “It’s been great,” she said.
“I knew a lot of the students coming into this because of my background in coaching and the fact that my two sisters go to school here.”
And one of the toughest parts of teaching at her former school is addressing the other teachers. “I didn’t expect it to be so hard to refer to my former teachers by their first names,” she said.
“It’s pretty strange to not formally address them anymore.”
During Anderson’s first day of school, she holds a ‘Get to know you” activity with each of her classes in which each student tells something about themselves and can ask the teacher a question.
“My sister, who is in one of my classes, asked if I like having her in class,” Anderson said. “Everyone laughed. I responded by saying ‘Today was good, but ask me at the end of the year’.”
“In all honesty, it’s one of the coolest experiences to teach one of my siblings. So, of course, my real answer is ‘Absolutely’.” Anderson said her favorite part of teaching is making connections with her students. “I didn’t go into teaching for the money, or to teach standards,” she laughed, “I did it for the kids.” Even before she was old enough to be in school, Anderson had her sights set on becoming a teacher. “In pre-school when they ask you what you want to be, I said a teacher,” she said. Along the way, several teachers have influenced Anderson. “Some of them still teach here to this day,” she said. “Every teacher in this school is fantastic and has had a positive impact on my life.”
“I still respect and revere every one of them. I am grateful to have grown up where all of my teachers cared so much about me.” Anderson and her husband Remi currently live in Marshall.
Pohlen teaching fitness classes Cari Pohlen, who owns and operates the Fit 24 fitness center in Minneota, is also teaching Fitness for Life classes at the high school this year. The class has been around in recent years, but this will be the first year that Pohlen will teach it. Heidi Boerboom had been teaching it in the past.
“The class is five days a week for one class period,” said Pohlen.
“So far, we have been staying inside for class, but I hope to take advantage of some of the nicer days and let them exercise outside.”
Pohlen, who co-owns Fit 24 with her husband Nathan, has a degree in Exercise Science from Concordia University in St. Paul. She has several things planned for her Fitness for Life classes.
“We will do a variety of videos; things like PiYo, which is a combination of Pilates and yoga; T25 and Insanity,” she said.
“And we will do Circuits, full body workouts, core workouts and plyometric exercises.” Classes will spend a couple of days a week in the weight room, and once a week Pohlen will try to incorporate some type of game.
The class is an elective and open to sophomores, juniors and seniors. “It’s different from Phy-Ed as it is not a requirement, is a semester course and there aren’t any quizzes or tests,” Pohlen said.
Teaching is music to her ears Katherine Rybinski, a native of Platte, SD, is the new music teacher at St. Edward’s School.
She will be teaching music for students in K-8 three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday).
This is the first teaching job at a school for Rybinski, although she has a significant musical background. She was in band and choir in high school, studied music in college, has taught piano lessons for over 20 years, and taught music in CCD classes at St. John Cantius in Ivanhoe.
She and her husband, Gene, have been married for 39 years and have four children. They moved to Minnesota in 1978 and have been living in Hendricks ever since. Rybinski went to college in Vermilion after she graduated from high school in Platte.
She later worked as a secretary for many years in Texas.
In 2000, at age 50, Rybinski went back to college and majored in music for one year at SMSU and then transferred to South Dakota State University in Brookings, studying music and business education.
After working for 10 years at Daktronics in Brookings, she retired in 2015 and stayed at home to spend time with her and Gene’s 12 grandchildren. But she soon became restless.
“I heard that they were looking for a music teacher at St. Edward’s,” she said.
“I really was looking for something else to do because retirement is great, but I felt I had no purpose.” Rybinski interviewed for the position and was hired to replace longtime music teacher Lois Spanton.
“I was a little nervous the first day,” she admitted. “I wondered if I had everything ready.” But after her first day of teaching, Rybinski knew she had made the right decision.
“I told the kids at the end of the day that this had been a great day for me,” she said. “I love teaching kids to sing.”