New Principal Selected for Sky Oaks Elementary

Sky Oaks Elementary has a new leader.

Drew Goeldner, a middle school principal in northwestern Wisconsin, will take over on July 1. Goeldner follows Principal Kay Fecke, who is retiring after over two decades at Sky Oaks Elementary. She has served as the principal for the last 13 years.

For Goeldner, the new job represents a return, rather than a debut. Goeldner was a fresh-faced college grad when he got his first job subbing for Burnsville-Eagan-Savage. After his stint as a sub, he moved on to St. Paul Public Schools—where he served as a teacher, math coordinator and curriculum coach—then Rice Lake, a small town in northwestern Wisconsin.

Goeldner has held two principalships with the Rice Lake district—first at Haugen Elementary and then at Rice Lake Middle School (which serves grades five through eight). The rural district stands in sharp contrast to his new school in the Twin Cities, which is the most diverse in the district. According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, in 2011, of the 142 fifth grade students enrolled for the year there were only 14 black, Hispanic, Asian or American Indian children. Just three were categorized as English learners.

"This is sort of a full cycle in my professional career. I'm coming back to where I began," Goeldner told the Board of Education on Thursday. "I'm extremely excited to take the skills I've developed over 17 or 18 years to Sky Oaks. I think we're a great fit for each other."

Assistant Superintendent Chris Lindholm said there were over 70 applications for the position at Sky Oaks, but that Goeldner immediately stood out from the pack.

"It was very clear he was a top choice right off the bat," Lindholm told the Board.

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