FARNHAMVILLE — Tina Kastendieck, the new principal of Southeast Valley Elementary School, strongly believes that learning and fun go hand in hand.

So it makes sense that her motto for the 2021 school year is, “We are going to have fun learning because learning is fun.”

Kastendieck previously served as the dean of students and an instructional coach at SEV Middle School. She replaces Jim Duncan as elementary principal. Duncan is now working at the middle school as the dean of students.

“We switched jobs,” said Kastendieck, a Fort Dodge Senior High graduate.

Kastendieck has a wide range of experiences at SEV schools. She has taught kindergarten, first grade and Talented and Gifted. She also taught at the high school. Then, she became assistant principal at the elementary school before becoming the dean of students at the middle school.

“I actually love every building in both districts,” Kastendieck said. “I have worked in every building in Southeast and Praire Valley. Coming back to the place where I started, which would be the elementary in Farnhamville, is just exciting. And coming back as the principal, I love the idea because I really love to help teachers with whatever it takes for them to be the best source for kids to learn.”

Seeing students develop and later find a career path that suits them shows the importance of education.

“It’s nice to have the experience to see what kids need to know in every level of education and how what you started in the elementary grades with reading stategies can work at the middle school or even high school if you need them to,” Kastendieck said. “You see them mature and go on to jobs and college and just reinforces how important education is.”

Kastendieck, who also goes by Ms. K, was inspired to become a teacher after her experience at St. Paul Lutheran School in Fort Dodge.

“I went to parochial school and I had a principal and a couple of teachers that were so fantastic,” Kastendieck said. “They thought I should be a teacher and I kept saying no, but then I thought I wouldn’t mind being like them.”

Kastendieck holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and art from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. She holds a master’s degree in school administration from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Kastendieck wants to encourage and inspire upcoming students to consider a career in education much like her teachers inspired her.

“I’m hoping in my position as a teacher and principal to influence students I know that would be good teachers because it’s so important to have good teachers to motivate students to learn,” she said.

The elementary school enrolls about 240 students, from 4-year-old preschool to fourth grade.

Reading is one skill that Kastendieck places great emphasis on. Seeing students become better readers is one of the best joys in education, she said.

“I think the most impactful thing for me is when I have been able to work with students who were struggling with reading and all the sudden they got it,” she said. “They figured out the word or what the story was about. When kids make connections to their learning and they love it and it’s fun. And then they ask for another book.”

She’s looking forward to working working with new and experienced teachers alike.

“I am excited to be back in a school that I taught in and to work with staff that are new and the ones that have more experience,” she said.

Kastendieck plans to encourage teachers to demonstrate their love of reading to students.

“We will be working on PLCs (Profesisonal Learning Communities) for the teachers,” she said. That’s something we have done before and we are just going to continue working on that. I am really encouraging teachers to get down on the kids’ level and play with them. Kids learn through play and when the teachers are having fun, it helps them learn faster. Having kids that love to read — that’s so important. Showing the love of reading by showing that teachers love to read and how fun it is to read books.”

Kastendieck said she’s also looking forward to working with the new principal at the Dayton elementary school — Chelsey Danielson.

“We have two people working together toward the same goal and makes it a lot of fun,” Kastendieck said.