It was a bit lonely for the ‘new girl in school’ this summer, as Chantel Boyer settled into her office as the new principal at Otsego Elementary School.
Summer break had most of her staff and teachers out on vacation, but Boyer wasted no time in getting to know her school, starting July 1.
“I’ve heard so many good things about the community of Otsego and Otsego Elementary even up the road where I was in Becker. And ISD 728 is very well-respected, so I was really excited for this opportunity. I was kind of choosy about where I wanted to go if I got the chance to be an administrator at a building. This is really a perfect fit for me and for my family,” she said
Boyer was up in Becker 22 years, nine as an assistant principal. She takes over for Todd Van Erp, who left at the end of June.
“The school is really in great position. We have a great staff. Our population is a little high, but with the new school coming online next year we’ll have that obstacle behind us,” she said.
What does the new Otsego E-8 mean for Otsego Elementary? The community is working hard to find out what part Boyer will have in that transition, as the E-8 is one of the centerpieces of the Facilities Usage Committee discussion, which will bring its reports to the school board later this winter.
“The bigger picture is those decisions will tell us where we’re going as a district in the future, and I’m really interested in being a part of that future for Otsego and for our families in the community,” she said.
Boyer said she felt the buzz around Otsego Elementary when she came to the building her first week.
“The staff here just makes it great,” she said. “I like the collaboration we get to have as a district between our teachers. So it’s the people here that make this such a great place to be.”
Boyer said she hopes her staff recognizes her excitement for education and the systems that make OES a great place to be.
“I think if there’s one thing that I’d want them to do is that I have a passion for what I do, and that I can’t wait to dive in and make this an even better place for our kids,” she said.