Eastern Allamakee Community School District working to fill the roles vacated by the resignation of New Albin Elementary Principal Chad Steckel

The resignation of New Albin Elementary School Principal Chad Steckel was approved by the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors in a late afternoon special session Friday, September 20. Steckel has served as principal of New Albin Elementary School for the past several years, and EACSD Board members voted unanimously in that special session to accept his resignation from that position, as well as all of his other coaching and teaching positions he held within the EACSD.

EACSD Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier stated that Steckel’s letter of resignation that was presented to the board stated he was resigning “for personal reasons.” Steckel reaffirmed that reasoning in follow-up correspondence with The Standard, stating, “I will simply say the same.”

Dr. Crozier explained that Iowa Code prevents public discussion of school district personnel matters, noting that “it’s not that we’re choosing to not speak about it, but it’s required that we don’t speak about it.” He said the district has been moving forward since Steckel’s resignation to “make the best out of the situation” in regard to filling all the roles Steckel held within the district, including his approval as a driver’s education instructor for this fall at the EACSD Board of Directors regular meeting held Monday, September 16, just a few days prior to his sudden resignation.

Dr. Crozier shared that the school district has been working diligently to compile a team of long-term substitutes to fill the roles left vacant by Steckel’s resignation. Of utmost prominence, the principal duties will be fulfilled by a combination of current elementary school principal Kathy Koether from the MFL/MarMac School District - which also shares Dr. Crozier as a district superintendent with the Eastern Allamakee district, and current New Albin Elementary School Lead Teacher Donna Thomas.

“Kathy Koether is a long-time elementary school principal in the MFL/MarMac district, and she will be traveling to New Albin Elementary at least a couple days a week for the time being,” Dr. Crozier explained. “And Donna Thomas is our Lead Teacher through the Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) System, and she will be available in the elementary school all day every day to address matters as well. I have been making myself as available as I possibly can as well.”

Dr. Crozier said although the timing isn’t ideal right now, he’s confident New Albin Elementary will adjust and move forward with the best interest of its students in mind. “Now is obviously not an ideal time to try and hire a principal,” he said. “But we’ve got a great staff here and some excellent resources to draw from in moving forward.”