Stronger together

Stronger together. That is the motto new PCM Superintendent Michelle Havenstrite is bringing with her as she starts in the district during an unprecedented, historic year.

To say the past month has been a whirlwind for Havenstrite would be an understatement. From accepting a new job, selling her home and even welcoming her first grandchild, she is more than ready to take on the job and lead PCM as the top administrator.

“My whole motto and you see it on Tweets I do, any Facebook posts, stronger together. That came out very clear, we’re only going to be stronger if we’re together,” Havenstrite said. “Our elementary buildings, they are only going to be stronger working together, our administrative team stronger together, our communities, that is how we navigate the difficult times.”

A Postville native, Havenstrite grew up in rural Iowa, which is her comfort zone. She is a born and bred educator who often found herself playing “school” growing up.

“I also tell people, to know about me, I come from a lineage of educators. If you did a blood test and there was a test for is she really, truly an educators I would test positive. It is all I have ever wanted to do,” Havenstrite said. “I remember playing, setting my dolls up to be a teacher. I went to my dad’s school with chalk, playing teacher on the board. My dad, he was at the high school, he would bring home extra work sheets from the elementary and I would just sit and play. Education is all I have ever really wanted to do. It’s been my passion.”

After graduating, Havenstrite studied special education in college and took her first position in that field. Gaining valuable experience from working in Nebraska near the university, Havenstrite took a position with the AEA (Area Education Agency) after she moved to Spirit Lake, her husband Tim’s hometown, which broadened her educational knowledge.

“I started as a consultant, moved to a supervisor, moved to a professional development trainer and in the end, my last job title and duties were under leadership and learning. What I did was work with school boards, principals and superintendents on leading schools, driving initiatives, evaluating programs and navigating financial issues,” Havenstrite said.

She remembers one experience when she walked into a room thinking it was a training session, only to learn the superintendent was no longer present and she had to shift roles to help the district deal with that situation.

“I have worked with districts on some pretty difficult situations. On the other side there have been some pretty exciting ones,” Havenstrite said. “My time at the AEA has given me a really broad perspective.”

Her last position before joining PCM was as the elementary principal and district curriculum director at the Nashua-Plainfield Community School District. When the superintendent position came open, she put her name in and in a quicker process than normal, she was selected for the job.

“Getting this job, if it is meant to be a truly believe that, if it is meant to be, it will be and if you just stay out of the way, let things happen for you, don’t try to make things happen,” Havenstrite said. “It was a very not typical way to move into a superintendent role, but I am doing my best. I didn’t hit the ground running, I hit the ground sprinting. But I love it, I’m super happy, there has not been one moment of regret. I’m not afraid to work hard. Good news is, it is crazy to be a superintendent but every school district in Iowa, across the country is in the middle of this. There is comfort in that.”

The current pandemic is, of course, at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts, especially when talking about returning to school. The process has been anything but smooth but by working together with all the information available, she is hopeful for the school year.

“My goal is to be very transparent. My goal is, and I’m going to be very clear, is to keep kids and our staff and our community safe. We know schools are the place where, say the flu passes through and gets into the home, so it’s not just about in the school setting, it is about preventing community spread,” Havenstrite said. “Going into it knowing I’m not going to please everybody but I’m trying to make the right and best decision has been the greatest challenge.”

She is very focused on the students, staff and community in terms of the pandemic while still focusing on the beginning her tenure as PCM’s superintendent.

“My philosophy is what is best for the education of the students, and we create from there. Our clientele are our students and preparing them for their future,” Havenstrite said. “My greatest challenge as an educator is that statement, preparing them for a future that is pretty undefined.

“We need to really work hard at all districts across the state, when we have a mission that is preparing kids for success after school, we start by examining what that looks like and then changing and refining. K-12 has been notoriously slow to do that. COVID has pushed us into that more. That is my challenge to continue to learn and look at how do we do that.”

Even though it hasn’t been the usual introduction to a district, Havenstrite and her husband were already struck by what great communities the PCM district has. One to be involved in events and activities, she is excited for the time when she can get out and meet all the members of the communities.

“Since we have arrived, we say every night, is there a nicer place,” Havenstrite said. “I love to be outside. When things get going, Tim and I will be very involved in the community, that’s what we did where we came from. You will see us participating, we’re not just the type to walk through.”

With plenty of work before her, Havenstrite is up for the job of leading the district in educating kids during a time that will, sooner than later, make its way into history books to be studied by future generations.

“I always say the stars aligned for this to work out perfectly,” Havenstrite said.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com