Q & A With Arrowhead’s Future Principal Adam Kurth
Adam Kurth says he is looking forward to stepping into current Arrowhead principal Gregg Wiezcorek’s shoes next school year. Kurth is the acting principal at Cedarburg High School.
I contacted Kurth through email, sending him a list of questions. I expected responses just a few sentences long; however, what I got back was an in-depth discussion with the questions I provided. Below are the questions asked and Kurth’s written responses.
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Q: What are your feelings about leaving Cedarburg High School? What prompted you to leave the school?
A: “It is always difficult to leave a place where so many positive relationships have been formed and so many students and staff have put their faith in me. Cedarburg is a great school. Change is hard and I will definitely miss the people here and am proud of the work we’ve done over the past five years. I was honored to be considered for the job at Arrowhead. Most administrators keep an eye on top-performing schools to see what is occurring and if it can be replicated in our own schools. In that, I have always kept tabs on Arrowhead and the great things that occur. The true draw to Arrowhead came after conversations with Superintendent Myrah and several other staff members and families where the positive, proud, and student-centered culture surfaced in every conversation. Having a community, school board, and staff that commits to that is truly an attractive opportunity.”
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Q: How do you feel about transitioning from CHS to AHS? Do you see any similarities or differences between the two?
A: “The truth about my role in schools is that to do it right and truly have a full understanding, it takes time to get embedded in the school community. From the outside looking in, I believe that our student body, staff, and families are very similar which helps in any transition, but every school has its own identity and I look forward to getting a full understanding of Arrowhead. A much-improved set of school colors will also help in the transition!”
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Q: What plans are you bringing to the position you would like to carry out?
A: “School uniforms, more assessments, and year-round schooling. Those are the worst things I could imagine students reading so forgive my sarcasm. Every school is different even though it seems schools should function in very similar ways as we all have the same student endgames of learning and opportunity. I have been in five different schools in my educational career, and each was very different in their approach. It is my hope to really get a feel for Arrowhead High school, the strengths and struggles, and do what I can to work with everyone to keep growing the successes and opportunities and help remedy any struggles or distractions that exist. I will share that I am a huge proponent of experiential learning, more specifically with life and cultural experiences. One of my passions is travel as it has helped shape who I am and how I approach my work. I believe there is no better learning a student can take part in than to experience different cultures and learn from immersion and engage with differing perspectives. I was proud to promote and support the staff at Cedarburg to offer numerous opportunities to travel abroad and would love to support this effort at AHS.”
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Q: Based on your first impressions of staff and students from your interviews, what are your feelings about coming into AHS?
A: “Every conversation I had during the interview process, and have had since accepting the position, has grown our excitement with being a part of the Arrowhead school community. It is clear the staff are quality people who are committed and proud of their school. A tipping point for me was the conversations with the students. As a parent myself, I asked the student interview committee ‘how do I know that I am making the right decision for my family and especially my own children.” The eloquence and sincerity with which the students spoke to their diverse and positive experiences and pursuit of their passions really solidified that my own children will be well taken care of in this community. The highest compliment I can give to the staff and students is that I am excited for my children to begin their schooling in this community.”
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Q: What kind of community do you want to create at AHS? Have you succeeded in building that community at CHS?
A: “There are always a few hopes in any school I serve that are more personal values than anything. A part of those hopes would be that we always look to challenge ourselves and improve, grow our ability to critically and independently think, have a positive impact on our community, treat people well, and through all of it, have fun and enjoy what we get to do every day.”
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Q: What do you want staff and students to know about you?
A: “I always hope to let people form their own understanding of who I am in the experiences we’ll have and the relationships we’ll build. I am a father, husband, and educator, and each makes me better at the others. On the surface, I am a die-hard Michigan fan, have a questionably unhealthy addiction to donuts, travel, beaches, and Christmas. My answers to your questions, unintentionally, tended to be a bit simple or romantic in nature. In the end, I am a person who loves education, loves to work with students and educators, and combines it all without taking life too seriously.”
