“Better never stops,” is the long-term vision Jenny Straus, who has been named principal of Badger High School by the Lake Geneva-Genoa City UHS Board of Education Feb. 10, has beginning in the 2020-2021 school year.
Straus is serving as interim principal since the resignation of Russ Tronsen last summer. For 10 years before that, she served as an associate principal under both Tronsen and Bob Kopydlowski.
Straus said she will continue to build on what came before her.
“I will strive to ensure Badger never stops creating classrooms where all students are engaged in innovative curriculum, inspired to be life-long learners, and have a sense that this is where they belong,” she said.
“After our committee interviewed several other candidates, Ms. Straus stood out as the ideal candidate to lead Badger forward,” School District Administrator Jim Gottinger said.
Straus is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Wisconsin.
Her educational philosophy is, “Excellence, equity, and kindness. Build relationships that support high-quality education for every student.” This practice has included 13 years of teaching and five years as associate principal at Delavan-Darien High School.
Since coming to Badger, she highlights accomplishments as opportunities she has helped others create including the Community Garden, two student organizations Up and Out and GSA and Stress Management class. In addition, she has worked diligently in relationship building with families to support student learning.
“The Badger community has a well-earned sense of pride in the opportunities offered to students and the high level of accomplishment our students continue to reach,” Straus said. “ I look forward to continuing our mission of ensuring that we collaborate to ensure that every student achieves academic and personal success,” she concluded.
“Ms. Straus has the knowledge, skills and drive to continue to move Badger and all of its students forward. As Interm Principal this year, she has already had much success working with students, teachers, staff, parents and community partners.” Gottinger said.
This year, Straus aims to continue to grow Badger’s educational community’s capacity to ensure that all students succeed at Badger. She is beginning each day with morning announcements highlighting accomplishments from the night before and reminds all at Badger that, “Better never stops,” she said.
