Superintendent End-of-the Year Letter
Posted May 29, 2026
As the 2025–2026 school year comes to a close, there is no question Tiger Nation has a great deal to celebrate. From academics, fine arts, and athletics to facility improvements and financial stewardship, South Hardin continues to build momentum and prove why it is one of the strongest rural school districts in Iowa.
On May 17th, we proudly graduated 58 seniors from South Hardin High School. Graduation is always a special day because it represents years of hard work, perseverance, and support from families, teachers, coaches, and our entire community. We are proud of the Class of 2026 and excited to see the impact they will make moving forward.
This spring once again highlighted the incredible opportunities available to students at South Hardin. Our students showcased their talents through concerts, awards nights, speech, academics, and athletics. Several student-athletes represented Tiger Nation at the State Track and Field Championships and the South Hardin Trapshooting continues to dominate their competition activities and programs continue to compete at a very high level.
Summer activities are now underway, and there are still many opportunities to support our students. Baseball and softball seasons for grades 7–12 have kicked off, and the South Hardin Trap Shooting Team remains active throughout June. I encourage everyone to visit South Hardin Schools website for schedules and come out to support our students this summer. Our kids and coaches put in countless hours, and community support matters.
June is also an important time for planning and preparation. Our administrative team will spend June 8th and 9th together focusing on professional development, communication systems, instructional leadership, and planning for the 2026–2027 school year. Strong schools do not happen by accident. Great schools are built through teamwork, communication, and continuous improvement. I am fortunate to work alongside an outstanding administrative team that leads our buildings with professionalism, care, and pride.
As Superintendent, summer also gives me an opportunity to regroup, reflect, and refocus on the future of the district. I arrived at South Hardin one year ago, and I truly believe we have made significant progress in a short amount of time. We have found ways to save both districts money, improve operations, and continue moving the district forward despite continued underfunding from the state and ongoing enrollment challenges many rural districts face.
South Hardin is the largest whole-grade-sharing district in the State of Iowa with 903 students, and what stands out most to me is the pride people have in this district. This is one of the strongest school systems I have had the privilege to work for in my 30 years in education. Our teachers, paraeducators, cooks, custodians, bus drivers, coaches, sponsors, and directors all play a critical role in our success. Great schools require everyone pulling in the same direction, and Tiger Nation does exactly that.
Our school boards also deserve tremendous credit. They continue to be excellent stewards of taxpayer dollars and district resources. A year ago, they brought me here with the expectation that we would continue the positive reputation of Tiger Nation while also pushing the district forward and “moving the needle.” I truly believe we accomplished that this year.
We saw success on the gridiron and in activities. We continued strengthening academics and raising student achievement scores. One of our elementary buildings continues to rank among the best in the state and the other buildings have shown outstanding growth this year.. At the same time, we made major progress operationally and financially.
One of the biggest victories this year was restarting the E-NP district wind turbine, which had been down for nearly three years. Last month alone, the district saw approximately $18,000 in electric savings after getting the turbine operational again. In Hubbard, the solar panels are now producing savings after a few hiccups in the previous school year on getting them online and the LED lighting upgrades at H-R Elementary are already saving thousands of dollars annually.
Transportation has also improved significantly under new leadership, with reduced repair costs, stronger oversight, and fewer bus referrals. This summer we will continue investing in our facilities by retrofitting South Hardin Middle School with LED lighting and improving security with a more secure entrance.
In Eldora, the old gymnasium has now been removed to make way for future playground space and additional parking near the new gymnasium. We will continue looking at ways to improve our facilities while remaining responsible with taxpayer dollars.
The momentum at South Hardin is real. We are focused on creating strong opportunities for students while also protecting the financial future of both districts. We want families looking for a school district with pride, tradition, innovation, and opportunity to take a serious look at South Hardin. When people truly see what is happening here, they quickly realize Tiger Nation is headed in the right direction.
Thank you to our staff, students, parents, boards, and communities for your support this year. Take time this summer to recharge, enjoy your family, support our students at summer events, and appreciate everything that makes Tiger Nation special.
It is always a great day to be a Tiger!