After seven years at MV, Mr. Michael Koehnke is moving forward on a new path in his career.
The Administrator accepted the position of Principal at South Central High School and will begin in the summer of 2025.
“South Central approached me, I wasn’t looking to leave [MV]. Sometimes you may be content with something in life, but then somebody will throw something at you that will get you thinking ‘Well maybe a change wouldn’t be bad’. It’s also kind of flattering that someone calls you up and offers you a job, I felt rewarded in a way for my hard work here,” described Mr. Koehnke.
Leaving your longest-tenured education job can be tough
“I’m really sad, it’s a bittersweet feeling because I truly do love the student body here. I’ve been at the high school for seven years, but I’ve been in Mount Vernon for all thirteen years of my educational career, so I have thirteen years of friendships, connections, and families I’ve helped. To leave all of that will be hard, but I will still try to be in touch if someone needs something,” stated Mr. Koehnke.
Seven years at the high school and thirteen in education overall leads to a highly-experienced individual and Mr. Koehnke is prepared for his new tasks at hand.
“I feel really prepared because I’ve dealt with a lot of stuff here. I think my time here in a school with 1300 kids, you have more situations and events that happen. Now, I’m going to a smaller school so I feel that I’m really prepared because of my experiences here,” said Mr. Koehnke.
Mr. Koehnke wanted to make sure to leave his colleagues with good advice before his departure.
“Continue to do your best and, if you are a staff member, do what is best for the students, regardless of what it is. Always think that every decision you make should be looked at as ‘How is this going to help this student or this class’. It may not be popular or by the rules, but there are times when what’s best for that kid has to be done,” explained Mr. Koehnke.
Students have made just as much of an impact on Mr. Koehnke as he has on them and he believes that anything is possible when it comes to this student body.
“If you’re a student, you have your whole life ahead of you. Most people here have a clean slate and can go do whatever they want. Anything out there is obtainable if you want to do it. Just be a good human being,” said Mr. Koehnke.
Regarding favorite memories, nothing specific came to mind, rather a flood of fun moments.
“Just being around the student body. How simple life can be for a high school kid and just seeing kids enjoy those simple joys here at school, whether it’s the orange chicken day, a pep rally, the students that come to the Khaos Kage, student-athletes, and all of the clubs offered. Just all of the opportunities offered here, watching them be able to succeed and enjoy what they’re doing,” stated Mr. Koehnke.
I thank Mr. Koehnke for being a part of my four years at MV and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
