School Board Welcomes New Superintendent, Principals

It was a night of new beginnings at the Muskego-Norway School Board on Monday as the Board welcomed the new school superintendent and two elementary principals.

In unanimous votes, the Board approved the contracts for new Tess Corners Elementary School Principal Kris Kuenstler and Mill Valley Elementary School principal Robin Schrot.

Kuenstler and Schrot will both earn $98,211 in the contracts approved for the 2012-13 school year.

“I look forward to inspiring the hearts and minds of the staff and students at my school,” Schrot told the Board.

“I am excited to be principal and to get started,” Kuenstler said.

Both principals said they would be starting Tuesday.  “We are going to hit the ground running," Schrot said. Both said they looked forward to reaching out to their school communities.

It was also the first Board meeting for New Superintendent Dr. Kelly Thompson. Thompson replaced Joe Schroeder, who left as superintendent earlier this year. The district for seven administrators as others left for promotions or to go back into teaching.

“This is my first official board meeting as superintendent,” Thompson said. “I am delighted to serve this community.”

Thompson, who started July 1,the district for 19 years in such positions as coordinator of pupil services, high school associate principal, and director of instruction. She was an assistant superintendent most recently.

She told the board that she has been meeting staff at every school, is meeting individually with each School Board member, has sat down with the mayor and will be meeting members of the Chamber of Commerce this week.

“We welcome these new faces,” said the board President Jim Schaefer.

Schrot was previously a student support teacher in the Elbrook School District, as well as a second grade teacher. She was born in Brookfield and is a resident of Germantown.

Kuenstler has taught first grade in the Muskego-Norway district for seven years and has also taught in the Whitnall, Menasha, and Milwaukee School Districts. She grew up in Franklin and lives in New Berlin.

“I want to continue moving Tess Corners forward,” she said.

“We are starting tomorrow,” added Schrot. “I will be communicating with the staff and parents to start building relationships.”