BROOKINGS The service and dedication of Todd Foster, a 10-year veteran administrator at George S. Mickelson Middle School six as assistant principal and the past four as principal will be recognized with three awards at the State Principals Conference on June 11 at the Lodge in Deadwood. The trio of honors comes under the overarching umbrella of the South Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals
First came recognition by the Northeast Area principals group, one of the seven different regions of the SDASSP. Each year in your region, you select an assistant principal of the year; a middle school principal of the year; and a high school principal of the year, Foster explained. So you can get recognized in your region. If you win that award you can then apply theres a pretty big, lengthy form to be eligible to be the state principal of the year. You have to answer a bunch of questions and get a student, a teacher, an administrator and a parent to write a recommendation. From those three selections, one will be selected South Dakotas overall principal of the year.
Fosters three awards are: region one middle school principal of the year; state middle school principal of the year; and South Dakota principal of the year from a secondary group.
With the trifecta of awards behind him, Foster, will go to Washington, D.C., in October, where he will join principals from the other 49 states. From that pool one will be selected national principal of the year.
He recognizes that these awards are not all his doing: theres a team behind him.
I tell people its a recommendation for Mickelson (Middle School); its a recommendation for the Brookings School District.
Whats our end game?
Foster, 59, is a native South Dakotan. He grew up in Estelline and graduated from high school there in 1982. He moved on to Dakota State University (Madison) and earned a business-education degree in business administration.
I knew that if I was going to go into teaching, which I kind of knew I wanted to do, and administration in case I wanted business management or something, the principal explained. Ive always known, probably since I was in junior high myself, that I wanted to be in education and work with kids. I did a lot of tutoring when I was in high school with other kids. I did some coaching and stuff like that.
While at DSU in 1985, Foster married Jolynn Gilbertson. Following his graduation in 1986, the couple moved to Hitchcock for a couple years and then spent six years in Balaton, Minnesota. They returned to South Dakota and he spent four years coaching and teaching in Howard.
About 1992 he enrolled in graduate school at SDSU and studied human resources and counseling. Following that came a stint as a counselor, for about eight years at different levels: elementary, middle school, high school.
The Fosters had moved to Flandreau in 1998, where he became middle school counselor for three years, then high school counselor for three years. Finally, he went back to SDSU and earned a masters degree in school administration about 2005.
Then to Flandreau High School as principal for 10 years and also coaching. The couples two sons were attending school there and Jolynn was teaching elementary school. Then Brookings beckoned and a big question was answered.
Whats our end game? If we could ever end up in Brookings someday, that would probably be one of the best things we could ever do, the principal said. Hes from Estelline; his wife is from Arlington, where her father had served as principal for many years. They were close to their former homes. And here in Brookings, his wife would retire after teaching elementary school for 30 years.
All about relationships
When youve got good kids and good staff, good things can come to you. That trio of elements is key to Fosters philosophy of education: My thing, its all about relationships: with students and staff. You do whats best by each kid. And, hopefully, at the end of the day, when you call it a career, youve made a difference in the lives of the kids and staff.
Add to that, giving kids the opportunity to be successful whatever that takes to do that. Every learner, every student, every teacher, everybodys different and you have to find out what everybody needs.
And these relationships and opportunities have to play out in what the principal admits is a challenging age to be a teacher: Our role has changed a lot in the last five to six years, Foster explained. Kids are still kids to a certain point. Social media, technology has changed who we are. You dont always notice it, because when youre in education its such a gradual change and shift.
But at the end of the day, kids still want people who care about them, who are there for them and to help them along the way. Middle school is an interesting age. Thats where I need to be, where I was meant to be. Every day is so unique for middle school kids. I just love them.
That perspective comes from an educator who has taught, coached and counseled at all levels in South Dakotas K-12 public school system. At 59 years old he has no plans to retire.
Hell continue as an educator as long as I feel like Im making a difference and as long as Im able to help people and do as best I can by this school and by the district. I work with some really good people and that just makes it enjoyable for me to come to work every day.
Now, is every day perfect? Absolutley not. But being around kids and staff, you just know that youre in the right spot and I love it. As for the Fosters, their family comes first: They have two adult sons, one married; they have one grandchild and one on the way.
The principal self-advertises as a huge Jacks fan. But he also likes Notre Dame; high up on the wall in the area behind his desk, a blue-and-gold sign carries the Lou Holtz motto: Play like a champion today.
However, in the end, Fosters words pay tribute to what for him his job as principal is all about: I work in the best middle school in the state of South Dakota, in what I think is the best school district.
Contact John Kubal at [email protected].
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