MONTAGUE – A big piece of Sandie Lundquist’s heart will always be in Nebraska.
The “new” principal at R. R. Oehrli Elementary School in Montague hails from Aurora, Neb., a small farming community. She’s a University of Nebraska-Lincoln alumna and a huge Cornhuskers fan.
Lundquist, 64, possesses a wealth of experience in the educational field. This is her 42nd year working in education, but her first in Montague Area Public Schools.
“The most rewarding part of my work is watching students and staff be successful,” she said.
“There are lots of ‘best parts’ of my job. I get to work with an awesome staff, great students, and supportive parents. Those really are the best parts. However, the overall best part is getting to interact with students and help them be successful.”
Lundquist has held a variety of educational positions – administrative and classroom — in different places across the country. The 1977 alumna of Aurora High School in Nebraska holds two master’s degrees from Doane University in Lincoln, Neb.
After making a couple of moves to Michigan and eventually retiring, Lundquist found that she missed working directly with students and staff. Enter the opportunity at Montague.
Montague Area Public Schools hired Lundquist in July and she hit the ground running in August.
“Sandie applied for the position that was left open by a retirement. She had taken some different paths within the education field after semi-retiring from administration roles previously, but quickly realized she wanted to come back,” Montague High School principal Christy Thommen said. “She currently has ties to North Muskegon and was intrigued by our posting. She brings with her a wealth of information and knowledge within the elementary world.”
Lundquist started her career as a fifth-grade teacher in Aurora, Colo., for six years. After her time in Colorado, she made the first of two moves to Michigan. She taught first grade for one year and math to fourth- and fifth-graders for two years in Detroit Public Schools.
Lundquist moved back to Nebraska, where she served as a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher for five years and as an Instructional Facilitator for five years. She moved back to Michigan and served as a principal for eight years plus another year as an administrator in central office at the Berkley School District in Metro Detroit.
After her time at Berkley, Lundquist moved to Kalamazoo where she became a principal at Kalamazoo Public Schools for eight years. While in Kalamazoo, she retired from education but continued as a consultant, mentoring new principals and leading the teacher mentoring program at KPS. She also was a High Impact Leadership Facilitator for one year and taught virtually for three years.
Four years after Lundquist retired, she decided to return to her principal role so she could have a direct line to students and staff.
That brought her to Montague Area Public Schools. Well, boyfriend Kel brought her to North Muskegon, but career-wise she landed in Montague. She still owns a house in Kalamazoo.
Lundquist is settling in at Montague. Her early impressions have been quite good.
“The interactions with students, faculty, staff, administrators, parents, and the community have been extremely positive,” she said. “The people I have interacted with so far have been extremely welcoming and positively encouraging.”
Lundquist is tasked with managing RRO Elementary and Montague Area Childhood Center. She typically works 10- to 12-hour days. She said there’s never enough time to “get it all done.” The buildings are close in proximity, which helps, but it’s still a challenge for her to manage things well at both locations.
Thommen, for one, has been impressed with Lundquist.
“Sandie has jumped right in and is getting things done,” Thommen said. “Her communication skills are spot-on and she resolves issues quickly. The staff appreciate her work ethic, willingness to support them, and her knowledge and experience.
“Initial response throughout the district has been very positive and receiving of her. She is a great listener and looks to solve problems within the entire district community.”
Thommen added that Lundquist’s experience with elementary settings, both in the classroom and in leadership roles, as well as her knowledge around school structures, funding, and English Language Arts programs are great assets. Lundquist’s time spent in various teaching and administrative roles as well as her serving as a literary coach allows her to connect with staff on many different levels.
On top of it all, Lundquist is a parent, so she understands how to connect with other parents and the community. A divorcee, Lundquist has two children: Lucas (31) and Madison (25). She also has what she calls three “bonus daughters” in Kaitlin (28), Emily (26), and Ashleigh (24).
Lundquist loves spending time with family. She also enjoys music, reading, snowmobiling, Harley-Davidson rides with Kel, and watching hockey. She still gets a big thrill out of watching and attending college and professional football games.
Once a Nebraska girl and a Cornhusker, always one.
Once an educator, always an educator.
“The life of a principal is extremely busy. Because I am still getting to know how things are done in Montague, there have been lots of meetings,” Lundquist said. “My daily duties include visiting classrooms, talking with students and staff, returning phone calls, answering e-mails, writing newsletters, planning professional development for staff, and more. Much of the time I am helping others solve problems, which typically consists of my ability to remove barriers so students can be successful.”
Said Thommen: “Sandie is very no-nonsense and cares about the students, staff, and families throughout the district. She gets to the point quickly, is not afraid to speak up on behalf of others who need support, and will bounce ideas off the rest of the administration team when needed.”
Photos courtesy of Sandie Lundquist
