Meeting Ken Kasper, the New Grinnell-Newburg School District Superintendent

One of the first things that drew new superintendent Ken Kasper to the Grinnell-Newburg Community School District was the diverse Grinnell community and its community offerings.

“Before I decided to apply for the position, I immediately saw what Grinnell had: the great students, academics, fine arts, athletics… to be honest, it’s unique here for a small town.”

Kasper began as a big city fish who lived on the edge of Chicago. Then, as he was about to enter the eighth grade, his mom told him they were moving to Iowa! His mom, who was a teacher, moved them back to Thornton, Iowa, a town of 400 people.

“I thought it would be awesome!” Kasper recounted to Chamber Ambassadors.

But the truth was, he didn’t realize it was awesome until later in life. At the time, he wasn’t excited to be in school.

Kasper stayed involved, however — he was active in band, the choir, and even the school plays. “Eventually, I realized moving here was the best thing that ever happened to me because the people in the school and the conversations we had were so valuable.”

When Kasper graduated high school, he took a gap year before returning to school to complete his degree in biology, education, and coaching. His first job? Teaching at a school 20 minutes away from where he went to high school.

“I taught every science and coached, but one skill I developed was working with at-risk kids. At-risk can mean so many different things, and one of my passions is helping kids.”

Kasper has built an extensive resume over the years — he’s been a high school principal, an athletic director, and is now entering his 9th year as a superintendent.

As he embarks onto a new school year, he is excited to get to know his colleagues and immerse himself into this unique era. “Before, I’d see parts of school being built — like a gym or addition — but this is the first time I am helping build from the ground up.”

Kasper is continuing on former superintendent Lisa Beames’ work: building relationships, being visible, continuing projects, and building upon the great aspects of the school district. Catch some drone shots of current construction to be shared regularly on the Grinnell-Newburg Community Schools Facebook page.

“Ultimately, transparency and communication will be vital — people don’t always have to agree with decisions, but they need to know the why,” says Kasper. “And they might not even understand the why, but I don’t want there to be a gap in the middle of our communications where people fill in information themselves.”

Kasper’s favorite part of being a superintendent? Seeing the success of his team. “When the staff is happy and flourishing, we help strengthen that direct connection piece to our students.”

His hope is that Grinnell will soon become the first choice for all families deciding to enroll their kids. “When people look for a place to raise a family, a strong community is the draw, whether it has strong schools, good doctors, or great shopping options.”

Have questions for the new superintendent? Join Kasper as he partners with the Grinnell-Newburg School Foundation to host a meet-and-greet on Wednesday, July 22! The event will take place at the Weingart '61 Civic Innovation Pavilion on 1033 Broad St from 4-6 PM, where Kasper will deliver remarks at 5:30 PM. If you are interested in local education, this is an opportunity to get to know the newest member of Grinnell’s team!

Chamber Ambassadors from left to right:

• Monique Shore — PFLAG Grinnell Poweshiek
• Marcus Brandenburg — Anthem Heating & Cooling
• Ashley Sorensen — Volunteer Iowa
• Yesenia Mozo — Grinnell Chamber
• Fran Conn
• Monica St. Angelo — Grinnell Area Arts Council
• Stephanie Lair — UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center
• Nikki Armstead — Grinnell Chamber
• Ken Kasper — Grinnell-Newburg School Foundation
• Blake Pearson — Converge Chiropractic PLLC
• Geneva Knobbe — Grinnell Motors
• Donna Fischer — UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center
• Trent Arment — MCG - Mahaska Communication Group
• Jennifer McAlexander — JM Consulting & Hawkeye Lock & Security
• Palmer Muckler — Future Entrepreneur
• Sarah Bacehowski — OnMedia
• Evan Petig — The Grinnellian