Kaiser Oversees Grades K-8
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
At Milford School, she is the principal of not just elementary students, but also students in seventh and eighth grade. Most other schools include elementary up to fifth or sixth grade, and then junior high schools have students in grades sixth through eighth or seventh and eighth. A student at Milford could have Kaiser as their principal for nine of their 13 years of schooling.[[In-content Ad]]"It is nice because we really get to know all the kids. Most stay here all nine years," said Kaiser during an interview Nov. 12.
Kaiser has spent many of her own years with Wawasee School Corp.
Though Kaiser attended elementary school in Anderson, her family came up to Tippecanoe Lake every summer. Her family eventually moved here and Kaiser went to Wawasee High School.
After graduation, she went to Indiana University, Bloomington, graduating in 1979. She earned her master's degree in administration at IPFW in 1982.
She taught first grade at Milford School for seven years. After serving as Wawasee Schools' high ability instructor for two years, she became the assistant principal for two years. Then she was named Milford School's principal, and has held her position for the past 19 years.
"I've always been a leader," Kaiser said of why she got into administration. "I was in student council, in a sorority in college and an officer. It was a logical step. When I was a teacher, I served on the school improvement committee. I could see how I could impact kids more. And I just want to help make Milford School better and help teachers. I really like curriculum. I've had the opportunity to be here long enough, I've hired most of the people that work here."
At one point, Kaiser thought about going for her superintendent's license. However, after much consideration, she decided she didn't want to be away from her family no more than she already was.
Her husband, Brent, went to Purdue University and is a pharmacist at CVS in Syracuse. Next summer, Cindy and Brent will be celebrating their 30th anniversary.
Their son Creighton is in his fourth year of six years of pharmacy at Purdue. He was on the 2005 Wawasee football team that made it to state.
Brooke is their daughter, and like Cindy, chose Indiana University. She is studying recreation management, and played tennis at Wawasee.
Though Rob McKibben isn't Cindy's and Brent's son, he has lived with the Kaisers since he was 12 years old. Now 22, he joined the Navy.
Having students up to eighth grade at Milford, Cindy Kaiser gets to see how much they change. She also has to think like an elementary principal and a middle school principal to do her job.
One of the major challenges of having a kindergarten to eighth-grade school, she said, is scheduling. The elementary shares gym, art and music rooms with the middle school.
The staff for the different levels also have completely different personalities, she said. If the Wawasee superintendent asks her a question, she said one half of her brain will think like elementary staff, and the other half thinks like the middle school staff.
In the Wawasee School Corp., students can choose whether to go to Wawasee Middle School or Milford School for grades seven and eight. While there used to be larger shifts at one point, Kaiser said that's dropped down to just a handful of students now.
Perhaps students are sticking to Milford School because of its stability in staffing. Along with Kaiser's 19 years, the school guidance counselor has been at Milford for 17 years. The assistant principal has been there for five years.
"If you're having a bad day, just walk down to kindergarten and get a big hug," she said.
Kaiser is very proud of Milford. When parents come into the school, she said they can tell that the culture and environment are very good.
"You can feel it when you walk in," she said. "Everyone takes their job seriously, but we have fun along the way."
Even with all her years of experience, Kaiser said she still has goals for Milford School.
"My job has changed so much. The technology, have to keep up with that. The instruction has changed so much, what we're reporting to the state. There's so much change, I feel like a new principal every year," Kaiser said. "We are a Title I school now. We didn't used to be. We have literacy coaches."
Through all the changes though, and even with her own children grown, Kaiser isn't thinking about going back now and getting her superintendent's license.
"I really like what I do. Walking into a building with a few adults and no kids, I wouldn't be happy," she said.
"Education is changing, it's just amazing. Just trying to keep abreast of all the new things, professional development, all the curriculum and technology. It's like your job is never done, and probably never will be," Kaiser said.
Not only is the classroom changing, but students also are changing.
The poverty rate has increased to more than 40 percent, Kaiser said, and part of that is situational not generational.
"I think the kids we see at Milford School are more of a cross section of kids than it used to be. It used to be small-town issues, and it's not like that anymore," she said. "We all love our kids."
Another good thing about Milford, she said, is that the town is really supportive of the school.
"The Milford community has always supported this school," Kaiser said. "We do not have problems getting parents to come in, even if it's behavior issues. Parents are always great."
At Milford School, she is the principal of not just elementary students, but also students in seventh and eighth grade. Most other schools include elementary up to fifth or sixth grade, and then junior high schools have students in grades sixth through eighth or seventh and eighth. A student at Milford could have Kaiser as their principal for nine of their 13 years of schooling.[[In-content Ad]]"It is nice because we really get to know all the kids. Most stay here all nine years," said Kaiser during an interview Nov. 12.
Kaiser has spent many of her own years with Wawasee School Corp.
Though Kaiser attended elementary school in Anderson, her family came up to Tippecanoe Lake every summer. Her family eventually moved here and Kaiser went to Wawasee High School.
After graduation, she went to Indiana University, Bloomington, graduating in 1979. She earned her master's degree in administration at IPFW in 1982.
She taught first grade at Milford School for seven years. After serving as Wawasee Schools' high ability instructor for two years, she became the assistant principal for two years. Then she was named Milford School's principal, and has held her position for the past 19 years.
"I've always been a leader," Kaiser said of why she got into administration. "I was in student council, in a sorority in college and an officer. It was a logical step. When I was a teacher, I served on the school improvement committee. I could see how I could impact kids more. And I just want to help make Milford School better and help teachers. I really like curriculum. I've had the opportunity to be here long enough, I've hired most of the people that work here."
At one point, Kaiser thought about going for her superintendent's license. However, after much consideration, she decided she didn't want to be away from her family no more than she already was.
Her husband, Brent, went to Purdue University and is a pharmacist at CVS in Syracuse. Next summer, Cindy and Brent will be celebrating their 30th anniversary.
Their son Creighton is in his fourth year of six years of pharmacy at Purdue. He was on the 2005 Wawasee football team that made it to state.
Brooke is their daughter, and like Cindy, chose Indiana University. She is studying recreation management, and played tennis at Wawasee.
Though Rob McKibben isn't Cindy's and Brent's son, he has lived with the Kaisers since he was 12 years old. Now 22, he joined the Navy.
Having students up to eighth grade at Milford, Cindy Kaiser gets to see how much they change. She also has to think like an elementary principal and a middle school principal to do her job.
One of the major challenges of having a kindergarten to eighth-grade school, she said, is scheduling. The elementary shares gym, art and music rooms with the middle school.
The staff for the different levels also have completely different personalities, she said. If the Wawasee superintendent asks her a question, she said one half of her brain will think like elementary staff, and the other half thinks like the middle school staff.
In the Wawasee School Corp., students can choose whether to go to Wawasee Middle School or Milford School for grades seven and eight. While there used to be larger shifts at one point, Kaiser said that's dropped down to just a handful of students now.
Perhaps students are sticking to Milford School because of its stability in staffing. Along with Kaiser's 19 years, the school guidance counselor has been at Milford for 17 years. The assistant principal has been there for five years.
"If you're having a bad day, just walk down to kindergarten and get a big hug," she said.
Kaiser is very proud of Milford. When parents come into the school, she said they can tell that the culture and environment are very good.
"You can feel it when you walk in," she said. "Everyone takes their job seriously, but we have fun along the way."
Even with all her years of experience, Kaiser said she still has goals for Milford School.
"My job has changed so much. The technology, have to keep up with that. The instruction has changed so much, what we're reporting to the state. There's so much change, I feel like a new principal every year," Kaiser said. "We are a Title I school now. We didn't used to be. We have literacy coaches."
Through all the changes though, and even with her own children grown, Kaiser isn't thinking about going back now and getting her superintendent's license.
"I really like what I do. Walking into a building with a few adults and no kids, I wouldn't be happy," she said.
"Education is changing, it's just amazing. Just trying to keep abreast of all the new things, professional development, all the curriculum and technology. It's like your job is never done, and probably never will be," Kaiser said.
Not only is the classroom changing, but students also are changing.
The poverty rate has increased to more than 40 percent, Kaiser said, and part of that is situational not generational.
"I think the kids we see at Milford School are more of a cross section of kids than it used to be. It used to be small-town issues, and it's not like that anymore," she said. "We all love our kids."
Another good thing about Milford, she said, is that the town is really supportive of the school.
"The Milford community has always supported this school," Kaiser said. "We do not have problems getting parents to come in, even if it's behavior issues. Parents are always great."
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