Greetings, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Rebels! As the new superintendent of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the community. While most of my blog posts will focus on educational topics and school issues, I want to use this space today to give you a little background on your new superintendent and the path that has led me to Gladbrook-Reinbeck. Writing about myself isn’t my favorite thing to do, but I thought the patrons of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District might appreciate the background information.
Your new superintendent is no stranger to the area. I was born and raised on a family farm in Northern Tama County, and have lived in this general area my entire life with the exception of my college years. In 1853, my great-great-great grandparents settled on a farm in Geneseo Township straight east of Buckingham. Our sons are now the seventh generation to live on the Hill farm, which has now been in the same family for 163 years.
Education runs in my bloodlines. My great-grandfather was one of the founding board members of the Geneseo Consolidated school district. He served on the Geneseo school board for many years until his son – my grandpa – succeeded him on the board. My grandmother was a long-time elementary teacher at Geneseo. My grandparents were a great influence on my life – it is because of them that I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a teacher.
My wife Tanya and I were married shortly after I graduated from Iowa State University. We have three sons ages 19, 17 and 13. Tanya was an at-home mom during our kids’ younger years, and she began her teaching career in 2010. She teaches Career Technology Exploratory STEM-based classes at Waterloo’s Hoover Middle School. As a family, we enjoy activities such as kayaking on Wolf Creek and other area streams, bicycling, visiting museums and science centers, and supporting the ISU Cyclones.
For the first nine years of my educational career, I was the FFA Advisor and 7th-12th grade Agricultural Education teacher at Benton Community Schools in Van Horne. For the next eleven years, I served as the PK-5 principal at Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School in Dysart. In 2015, I became the part-time superintendent at North Tama County Community Schools, which serves the communities of Traer, Clutier, Dinsdale, and Buckingham. In March, the Gladbrook-Reinbeck school board approved a 28E sharing agreement to share my services as with the North Tama District on a 50/50 basis.
In the short time that has passed since the G-R board approved the sharing agreement with North Tama for me to become your new superintendent, I have truly been impressed by the students and staff at Gladbrook-Reinbeck. Yes, G-R can be proud of its facilities, technology, and programs – but it is the PEOPLE that truly make this school great. Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s teachers have an incredible base of knowledge, experience, and skill. They have developed a curriculum, programs, and opportunities that truly meet the needs of today’s students. The educational community at G-R has so much to be proud of – and I am so proud to be joining the team! As we approach a new school year, I just can’t wait to see our students and staff in action!
The students, staff, and parents at BOTH Gladbrook-Reinbeck and North Tama are very important to me, and I will work diligently to meet the needs of both schools. While I will only be in each district about 50% of the time, I truly believe that we can make this arrangement work for the long haul! The result will be a long-term financial benefit which will enable both schools to continue to meet the needs of their students and communities in the most efficient way possible. I’m happy to be part of the solution that will help keep two great school systems strong for years to come.
I invite your thoughts and your feedback in the comments section below. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (my handle is @DavidRobertHill) for blog updates, photos and comments on school events and activities, and an occasional glimpse of the work I do for both districts.
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