By DEB BENTLY
Staff Writer
NRHEG secondary principal Grant Berg received surprise congratulations from about 500 students and school staff members on the last day of school prior to the holiday break.
Berg, who was a teacher in the district for 18 years before becoming principal last spring, had completed the final requirements for a degree in educational leadership only days before.
“This is a challenging accomplishment,” observed school counselor Liz Stiernagle. “Mr. Berg has been a great leader this year. He is popular with both the staff and the students. So it only seemed appropriate that we all work together to congratulate him.”
According to Stiernagle, a small set of staff members purposely extended a regularly scheduled morning meeting to keep Berg occupied. All other staff took care of morning attendance details, then quietly shepherded their students to the high school gym.
For some, this included taking back hallways to assure their groups did not walk past the conference room where the meeting was taking place.
At a predetermined time, Berg was told there was an emergency requiring his attention in a gym class, and was sent hurrying in that direction.
“I had no clue this was coming,” said Berg that morning. He described rounding a corner, seeing the gym was inexplicably full of students, and suddenly realizing it was all for him. As he entered the gym, his walkway led him between two lines of cheerleaders waving pom poms while everyone present clapped and cheered.
Although his manner seemed to indicate all the fuss was unnecessary, Berg stated he felt “honored” that everyone thought to acknowledge his accomplishment.
Of the degree he has completed at Concordia University of St Paul, Berg described his instructors as individuals with extensive experience in school operations, including people still serving in roles such as principal, assistant principal and superintendent. He commented that the knowledge they shared was very helpful to him as he took on the principal position. He also mentioned a surprising coincidence: one of his professors is headmaster at IMG Academy in Florida, but Berg had been acquainted with him during his time in the athletic department at the University of Minnesota. “It just goes to show, the world is a smaller place than we realize,” Berg observed.
As far as the first few months of his position as principal go, Berg says “We’re headed in the right direction.”
He says some good foundations have been laid, and states his belief that students are grateful for the consistent message they receive both from him and from their teachers.
“Students know they will be held accountable. I believe everyone appreciates that, if someone doesn’t follow through on the expectations, there will be consequences.
“One of our goals is to cultivate citizens who recognize the importance of being reliable and responsible; we’re working together to build an environment that will help with that.”