On Dec. 16, the Albert Lea Area School Board unanimously voted to allow Superintendent Ron Wagner’s contract to expire and placed him on administrative leave from December 17 to June 30. The announcement cast uncertainty over the district as the search for an interim superintendent began. Three weeks later, on Jan. 3, the school board voted to extend an offer for employment to David Krenz. Albert Lea Area Schools’ new interim superintendent has a calm demeanor and strong values. Though he might not be in our district for a long time, the hope is for a stable term and smooth transition.
“The organization just went through a traumatic change,” said Krenz. “In six months , they’re going to have another change. My job is to help transition into that.”
His focus is on connection and ensuring communication between everybody in the school district. One of his goals for Albert Lea is to look at the processes we have in place, do they work for our community and are they as inclusive as they should be.
“I believe in the power of people, in the knowledge and the abilities of people,” said Krenz. “And to do that you have to share information.”
Krenz is also a family man who loves reading, watching movies and attending school events. He has been married for 48 years and lives in La Crescent on the Mississippi River. Krenz will commute to Albert Lea to work three days a week. They have three sons and a granddaughter whom he is proud of.
“She’s very active and we like to go see her,” said Krenz. “She finished first in the state in mountain biking this year and she’s a cross-country skier and she runs track. So that keeps us pretty busy.”
Krenz is a third generation educator. His grandmother taught in a one-room school in South Dakota. His father was the superindendent in Lewiston for 28 years.
With 44 years in the field of education, he began his career in Byron where he taught math, chemistry and coached multiple sports including football, girls track, girls basketball and baseball.
However, after a few years, he hit the ‘educational wall’ and decided he needed to try something new for awhile. He got a job in management.
“I decided I wanted to try something different and managed a SuperAmerica store up in the Twin Cities,” Krenz said but the detour didn’t last long. After two years Krenz realized he wanted back in the classroom. “I went to school to be a teacher. I loved teaching. I wanted to get back to that.”
He got a job as a chemistry teacher and football coach in Cochrane-Fountain City, Wisconsin. This was the beginning of a pattern of teaching up and down the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“A lot of the jobs I’ve had have been on the Mississippi River,” said Krenz. “Not that I’m a river rat or even have a boat.”
He then started teaching in Winona which is when he decided to get his administrative degree, principal’s license and superintendent’s license at Winona State.
“My dad had been a long time teacher and administrator,” said Krenz. “It was a good life. I saw the leadership and something [in] that challenge, [I] needed to have.”
This decision led to a string of places where he left his administrative mark. First, he was hired at Wausau West High School as an assistant principal where one of his jobs was to implement the new network technology.
“I ended up having to install all these computers, learn the software, run the wiring, [and] teach everyone else about it,” said Krenz. “So during the day I was an assistant principal, and at night I was the district guy who went around and helped everybody else.”
He became the district-wide technology coordinator where he serviced 14 elementaries, two middle and two high schools.
“There was really no help [… or] anybody in the district that could do the things that I could do,” said Krenz. “It was crazy. I lasted six years in the position, and just said ‘I can’t do this anymore’.”
He was then hired in Pulaski, Wisconsin as a tech coordinator, but once again he was called back to his educational roots.
“I want to get back to working with kids and teachers directly in a classroom setting,” said Krenz. He was hired as a high school principal in Colby, Wisconsin and an opportunity arose that he could not turn down. “After the end of my second year, the superintendent retired. The school board came to me and said, ‘We’d like you to apply for the superintendency’.”
He explained that he was apprehensive at first and wasn’t looking to be a superintendent because he enjoyed being a high school principal. In the end, he decided to apply but he didn’t get it.
“You’ll find that in your career too, that sometimes you just finish second to someone with more experience or maybe a little bit better resume,” said Krenz.
The process started him on a new path. “I thought if somebody really thought I could do the job, maybe I should begin looking,” said Krenz.
He became the superintendent in Wabasha-Kellogg for two and a half years, in La Crescent for five years and finally in Austin for 12 years. He retired from Austin in 2021, but came out of retirement to be our interim superintendent when requested by our school board.
He emphasizes his experience and commitment to our community.
“My goal would be to learn, but also bring people together so we’re headed in the right and same direction,” said Krenz.
The search for a new superintendent is underway. Online applications will close at 11:59 p.m. on March 4. Finalists will be selected March 18 and the first round of interviews will begin March 26.
The ALAS School Board is seeking community input through an online anonymous survey that will close on Feb. 19. Summarized results will be presented to the board and considered as they move forward selecting the next superintendent. The survey can be found at www.alschools.org.