July 25, 2022 – West Bend, WI – It was April 30, 2022, when Holy Angels School announced Michelle Spaeth would take over as the new principal. Within two quick months Spaeth has hit the ground running and over the weekend she appeared at Mass to explain her goals, intentions, and commitment to excelling Catholic education.
Below is a note from Michelle Spaeth that appeared in Sunday’s church bulletin.
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As of July 1, I am honored to officially serve as the principal of Holy Angels School. This
school and parish are near and dear to my heart; our children are the fourth generation of my husband, Tony’s, family to attend Holy Angels School. Tony and I were married in this church and attend the Sunday 9:30 Mass weekly.
Both of our parents, along with my brother’s family, are parish members, so we are truly committed to this Catholic community. This position was a calling for me. When I learned of the opening, I had just completed my 26th year of teaching in the West Bend Public Schools. During that time, I had taught 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades with a focus on literacy and had obtained my master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I was halfway through National Board Certification for Teachers when I was approached about the opening. I immediately knew that with my experience and love for the school and parish, I had to pursue this opportunity.
I am 100 percent committed to maintaining the Holy Angels tradition of excellence and building upon the school and parish connection. In the past three months, I’ve focused on the following:
• met several times with Barb VanderWielen and Peter Winkler from the finance committee to learn about the budget
• attended Parish Council meetings and met with Father Howard
• met with Principal Will Waech from St. Frances Cabrini and connected with resources from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee
• scheduled 15-minute input meetings with every school staff member (teachers, aides, secretary, lunch ladies, custodians) to learn about perceived strengths and areas for growth for our school
• hosted a 3-hour training session for teachers and aides to learn about mental health of our students and worked together to develop a positive culture plan that was sensitive to the needs of our students and staff. All were invited to my house after for a luncheon.
• purchased a K5–8 literacy curriculum
• have been in the process of hiring an American Sign Language teacher and 6–8 English Language Arts teacher (both positions are still open – all inquiries can be sent to spaethm@haswb.org)
• have begun contacting families to learn about strengths and areas for growth
• met with Deacon Mark and Officer Matt Rohlinger to discuss safety at our school
I am so grateful for all the support this Parish provides for our school. I’m anxious to bring back altar servers and other opportunities for our children to get involved with our parish. I’d love to give a tour of our school and answer any questions you may have; we still have some grades with openings if you’re looking for a dynamic Catholic education for your children or grandchildren.
Michelle Spaeth, Holy Angels School Principal
