New superintendent wants Centre to be ‘best it can be’
Staff writer
Daniel Acklund, new superintendent at Centre School, is in his 20th year in education and his first year as a superintendent.
His goal is to help students, teachers, staff member, and the community make the district “the best it can be,” he said last week.
It already is a great district, he said. He wants to help make it even better.
Acklund grew up in a very small Nebraska town and graduated from Geneva Fillmore Central High School. He went to Peru State College in Nebraska for his bachelor degree’s in elementary education.
After working a year as a paraeducator, he moved to Valley Center, where he taught fifth grade for eight years.
An administrator there convinced him to move into administration. He obtained administrative training through Newman University in Wichita.
For the next 10 years, he was an elementary school principal, serving at Rock Creek, Hutchinson, and Garnett.
At Centre, Acklund also will serve as elementary school principal as well as principal for the Kansas Online Learning Program, the district’s virtual school.
He envisions spending his mornings at the school and retiring to the district office in the afternoon.
Acklund said he was impressed with the district’s efforts to provide a diversity of athletic and academic experiences for its students.
“Even if one or two students want to participate in something, the district will make it happen,” he said. “I hope to expand on that.”
Moving from larger schools to a 1A school required some adjustment, but he is happy to be back in a small community.
He is impressed with the diversity of the school board, which includes farmers, educators, and medical personnel.
“They get along well, have great insights and ideas, and work together to come to decisions,” he said. “They are incredibly supportive.”
He and his wife, Michelle, live in Marion. Michelle has been hired as a facilitator for gifted students at Marion County Special Education Co-op. Their son, Caden, is an eighth grader. Daughter Laken is a sixth grade.
“I’m excited to be here,” Acklund said. “My most important job is to be supportive and help people.”