Asked what he would most like readers to know about him, Kyle Koeppen, the incoming Superintendent of the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District, emphasized the importance of relationships in his life. “Few things illustrate that any better than that my wife Chelsea and I were high school sweethearts and partners in chemistry and driver’s ed. I believe that success in life and work relies on maintaining healthy relationships built on respect and trust, and that’s why establishing good relationships is always my top priority.”
For Kyle, the new position at Vinton-Shellsburg seems like the best possible fit for him and his family. “I grew up in Marion. My first teaching job was in Springville, and my role before coming here was as Principal at Prairie Point Middle School in Cedar Rapids. I’ve enjoyed all my experiences, but there is quite a difference between a school district with 400 students like Springville, and Prairie Point Middle School and 9th Grade Academy has about the same number of students as in the Vinton-Shellsburg district.”
At Springville, Kyle had the opportunity to fulfill a wide variety of roles. Starting as a teacher and coaching multiple sports, he was approached about taking on new roles in his time with the Springville school district, such as Activities Director, Technology Director, and Elementary Principal. The great thing about my experience at Springville, in addition to the close relationships I still enjoy, was the opportunity to learn and grow in a variety of roles
The incoming Superintendent describes his style as collaborative and open, with an emphasis on understanding how people will feel about decisions. “I believe it’s important to get many viewpoints on a problem and the potential solutions. My goal is to take the time we need to consider not only the decisions we’re making but also the implications of those decisions for all the people they will affect. It’s much easier to make steady progress when people know they’ve been heard and understood, and that issues have been thought through carefully. What I can work hard to achieve is confidence that decisions are made carefully, thoughtfully, and with everyone’s best interest in mind.”
It was Chelsea’s job at Kid’s Inc., a daycare facility in Marion that led Kyle to choose education as a career. “One summer during college, Chelsea was working in the daycare, and I worked as the Field Trip Coordinator. That summer was when I realized how much I loved working with kids. I took the kids on day-trips and was their tour guide at places like the Maquoketa Caves – I did so many I think I could still give a pretty good tour. After that summer I was hooked on the experience of being with kids and helping them grow.”
The Koeppen family is very active in church and enjoys outdoor activities as much as possible. Kyle, Chelsea, and their four sons ages eleven, eight, six, and four have already relocated to a home they are renting in Vinton, where the boys are looking forward to being able to ride their bikes to the store. “One of the struggles for us,” explains Kyle, “is that we were very much looking forward to meeting people, taking part in some of the community celebrations, and spending time out in the communities that are part of the Vinton-Shellsburg district. We know it’s only a delay and that with patience, we will have the opportunity to meet people in our communities and the activities we have looked forward to enjoying.”