Kevin Krutzik Hired as Southern Door Superintendent

Kevin Krutzik chats with Executive Assistant Sue Ann Hubbard after board members voted to hire him. Photo by Craig Sterrett.

Southern Door School Board on Monday selected the district’s next superintendent, current Sheboygan Falls principal Kevin Krutzik.

School board member Janel Veeser said in addition to Krutzik’s 10 years of experience as a principal and his nine years of teaching experience, the board liked his varied business background.

“We felt like he was a good fit for our district,” Veeser said. “He’s up for the challenge and I think he’s going to be really good for us.”

Krutzik said he became intrigued about pursuing a career in education after traveling to do information-technology training and to educate employees of Acuity Insurance, the Sheboygan-based business where he worked for seven years. His department handled a lot of corporate projects that involved implementation of technology.

“Unlike a lot of administrator candidates, I did not go to college originally for education,” Krutzik said. “I had a double-major in business administration and marketing.”

He went on to earn a doctorate in educational leadership from Edgewood College. He also holds a Master of Business Education degree from Marquette University.

During his six years as principal at Sheboygan Falls, his school earned the No. 1 school report card score for four of five years from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for the Eastern Wisconsin Athletic Conference. 

Krutzik said he’s heard a lot of good things about the Southern Door School and the district, as well as Door County. He has relatives he visits near Kangaroo Lake. He said this also is a good time for him and his wife to make a move with their daughter in chiropractic school and son in college.

“I think I’m at a spot in my career where I can not just do the job, but do the job well,” he said. “I think I have the experience and the skills to move the district forward.”

He said he focuses on a positive culture and has developed skills in working collaboratively with teachers and staff and gaining their input and buy-in. He said he believes in helping people understand why a decision is being made and conveying the purpose behind it, the benefits behind it and the expectations.

“The Southern Door Community is fortunate to begin this journey with Dr. Krutzik, who has the skillset and attitude to take on challenges that our school community is facing while embracing the incredible opportunities that already exist,” said Penny Price, board president, in a statement.

Challenges on the horizon range from working to rebuild a July 1 general-fund balance that can last until property tax revenues arrive each January; dealing with concerns after some projects were dropped from a  list of voter-approved facilities improvements due to cost increases; and a countywide struggle to attract and retain educators.

Krutzik will take on the job just over a year after the district parted ways with former superintendent Chris Peterson, without explanation as to why Peterson left the position.