Meet Brian Kucbel, Principal of Shawnee Elementary School

Following the unfortunate and untimely death earlier this year of former Shawnee Elementary School principal, Tanny Vonthron, the Huron Board of Education put out a call for applications for a new principal.  Little did they know that the most qualified and most enthusiastic candidate was already within their midst.  The Board hired 8^th grade science teacher, Brian Kucbel, to fill the vacancy at Shawnee.

Brian Kucbel, a native of Amherst, Ohio, has been a teacher in the Huron City Schools since 2008.  In addition to teaching 8^th grade science, Mr. Kucbel has also served as the Junior High cross country coach.  He cherished both of these positions.  Two years ago, Mr. Kucbel completed his Masters in Education with an added administration degree, thus making him qualified for his new position as principal.  Despite having his advanced degrees, Mr. Kucbel had no intention of leaving Huron.  “I had always told myself I am not going to just leave to be a principal somewhere.  I want to be in a district that is great.  My dream was to be in Huron, and I never anticipated the unfortunate circumstances, but when this position opened up and I had the opportunity, I was very anxious and wanting to advance professionally in Huron.” he explained.

Mr. Kucbel knows that he has some very large shoes to fill in his new position; yet, he is up to the challenge.  He exclaimed “I am happy those shoes are big to fill- it just makes me more driven and makes me set my aspirations and goals higher.  At the same time, I am trying maybe not to fill somebody’s shoes but continue what Tanny did and take her footsteps and her shoes and move them along with me and continue what she was building here and will continue to build here because things that she had instilled in this culture and environment are still going to continue.  I think it is very important that we keep this alive and well in this building and continue on with my vision and the way I would like to see the culture.  I am excited!”  Though Ms. Vonthron’s signature yellow smiley faces will no longer play a prominent role at Shawnee, day-to-day operations will remain the same.  Yet in the same spirit of the smiley faces, Mr. Kucbel will be implementing a program that rewards positive behavior and gives the students incentives for doing so.  He wants to be very visible to students and will be out in the hallways as much as possible and interacting with students. 

Despite his excitement for his new position, Mr. Kucbel is truly going to miss being in the classroom and coaching cross country.  “I am going to miss looking at a student’s face and knowing that you taught him something- that aha moment.  I really care about making the students good people and making them believe in themselves.  That was the one thing that I think that I got out of coaching and teaching.”  However, Mr. Kucbel optimistically stated “In this position, I have an opportunity to make a more holistic impact and impact more lives.  I am not in this profession for the money- I am in it to make a difference in someone’s life.  That has a much more lasting impact than money and anything like that.  When you change someone’s life for the better, it is a chain reaction for the better, paying it forward.”

In closing, Mr. Kucbel declared “I am very excited about the upcoming year, about working with the community and staff and students at Shawnee.  I am very honored to have this position, and it is one that I will cherish.  Hopefully, I will continue the excellent tradition that has been established in this environment.”