Earlier this summer, Gregg Wieczorek wrapped up his seven-year tenure on the NASSP Board of Directors, including as president in 2021–2022. His final board meeting took place in California, where the entire board also participated in a service project at Poway High School. Wieczorek, who also retired this year from his position as principal of Arrowhead Union High School in Hartland, WI, reflects on his time on the board and as president.
Tell us about the volunteer project in Poway that board members took part in last month and the value of volunteer projects more broadly.
In California, we sat down together to discuss transportation challenges in the district. They have students who don’t have easy access to transportation, and who must pay to ride the school bus. Some can ride city buses, but the stops are sometimes far away, or they must walk across the interstate to get there. So, we sat down with students and staff to discuss solutions. To put together this group of leaders from around the country, who have lots of experience solving problems, and discussing how to approach this challenge, was a great use of our time. I remember my first service project with the board was during a joint conference with NAESP in Philadelphia, where we put together a playground for a middle school. These kinds of projects show that principals care, and we’re here to help.
Looking back on your board service, what were some of the highlights?
The first thing was the opportunity to connect with leaders from all over the country. The board is made up of sharp people who are leaders in their states, and when you get leaders of leaders working together, it’s really quite powerful. I know I’ll continue to stay connected with the friends I’ve made from my service on the board. Professionally, I got so many ideas and answers to small problems or learned things from talking to my colleagues. My school has benefited from my service on this board and with this association. I’m also excited about the direction of the association under CEO Ronn Nozoe’s leadership. You always want to leave a place in a better position than when you got there, and I think that’s where the board is today.
What about high points during your time as president?
The “Leading Forward: Ideas from the Listening and Learning Tour,” which took me to all 50 states, was probably the thing I’m most proud of. What really makes me proud is not the tour; it’s the messages I’ve gotten from principals saying someone reached out to them about this idea, or from a principal who contacted someone we highlighted on the tour, got more information, and now they are implementing that idea in their school. It was an opportunity to connect with other principals from around the country and share ideas because we’ve all got great ideas.
Any final thoughts about your seven years of board service?
Having the opportunity to serve on this board has really been the highlight of my career. It was an amazing opportunity to interact with all these awesome board members and staff. I would encourage other principals to look at these kinds of opportunities, either serving on the state board or at the national level, or one of the many other opportunities that are out there. Getting involved with your associations helps you grow professionally—I think more than any individual professional development. Being able to connect with other board members made me a better principal.
Learn more about the NASSP Board of Directors here.