For two decades Adrian educator Cate Koehne immersed herself as a classroom teacher in helping her special education students achieve their individual learning goals.
On Tuesday, Sept. 5, when Adrian’s 350 seventh-through twelfth-grade students return to school, Koehne steps into the official role as the school’s new principal.
“I loved special education,” she said. “I got to work with students for several years. It was never the same day twice.”
Now Koehne’s time with the same students expands to six years, time she said she wants herself and her staff to make connections.
“We want them to have a great experience,” Koehne said.
The focus on building a positive school environment began last year under the guidance of the school’s late principal Tim Christensen. His sudden death in February devastated the district.
“It was definitely sad,” she recalled. “As a staff our No. 1 goal was to help them work through the sadness.”
During her 15 years with the Adrian School District, Koehne stepped into various leadership positions, including dean of students to fill the leadership void. She found she enjoyed being of adults as well as children.
“I love the idea of teaching teachers to help school be great for kids,” she said.
Koehne’s own positive experience as a student in Adrian led her to select teaching as a career. At Winona State University she focused on elementary education until she was encouraged to add special education to her major.
After college Koehne spent five years in Fulda before returning to her home school district 15 years ago.
“I needed to know who I was as a teacher before I came back,” she said.
The daughter of Norman and Helen Sieve of Wilmont continued to expand her own education by spending her summers completing her master’s degree and completing administration classes. She has also spent time as adjunct profession at St. Mary’s University in the Twin Cities.
She has learned a lot about herself though her continued education studies.
Koehne said she learned she is passionate about helping kids, is patient, and looks for the latest in trends in education when she sees certain strategies leave students struggling to learn.
Overall Koehne wants students to enjoy coming to school.
“I want them to have a great experience,” Koehne said. “We care about them.”
The beginning of a positive school experience began with staff on Monday when Koehne led the opening day in-service with her secondary teaching staff dressed as a pirate, an outfit inspired by Dave Burgess’ book, “Teach like PIRATE.”
“It’s an acronym for what makes a great teacher great,” she said.
The acronym stands for passion, immersion, rapport, ask and analyze, transformation and enthusiasm.
Activities are planned throughout the school year around Burgess’ book, which ignites a teacher’s passion for instruction to increase student engagement in learning.
Koehne and her husband, Bob, have three children, Luke, 9, Maddy, 6, and Emery, 3. They live near Lismore.