by Dennis Dalman
During and after his first week of the school year at Sartell High School, many people have asked the new principal, Shayne Kusler, how he likes his job.
Every time, it takes him just a millisecond to answer: “I love it!”
Kusler (pronounced Kooze-ler), former principal at Foley High School, is still learning names in a constant flurry of introductions – students, teachers, staff, administrators.
“The staff interact so well and seem to know all of the students,” he said. “It’s a big school, but it has that small-town feel to it, like Sartell does. This is a very proud community and it’s working hard at continuing to grow and keep doing good things.”
So far, by an unofficial count, Sartell High School has 1,350 students in grades 9-12.
Kusler is certainly no stranger to Sartell. Twelve years ago, he planned to get married in St. Mary’s Cathedral in downtown St. Cloud, but there was a waiting list for marriages. He checked around and learned the ceremony could be performed at St. Francis Xavier Church in Sartell. He and his fiancée, Amber, happily married there and became mem bers of that church. The couple has three boys – a kindergartner, one in second grade, one in fifth grade. Amber is an attorney who works for the Minnesota Human Services Department.
The family moved from Sauk Rapids to Sartell Aug. 19.
“We love living here,” he said. “We’ve loved it every day. The kids can hop on their bikes on a trail within a block of our house, and they can bike anywhere safely. There are so many summer activities here for the kids. They enjoy sports and being outside. They also like acting in school theater productions. My oldest boy just got a trombone. He’s in the school band.”
Born near Mankato, Kusler grew up in the Dassel-Cokato area and graduated from its high school in 2002. He earned a psychology degree from St. John’s University in 2005. Kusler then attended St. Cloud State University to obtain a master’s degree in school counseling, graduating in 2008. While still in college, he interned as a school counselor at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, starting in 1997. He returned to school yet again to earn a principal’s certificate, and during his last school year at SRR High school he was named administrative dean (the equivalent of assistant principal).
In 2014, he was hired by Foley High School to become its principal, serving for eight years until earlier this year when he was hired at Sartell High School.
“My vision, my mission is to help all students become the best versions of themselves,” Kusler said. “I feel I’m following a calling rather than just having a job.”
Shayne Kusler
