Cogswell steps in as new Giltner administrator

After working nearly 40 years as an educator, Curtis ‘Curt’ Cogswell said he is often asked why he doesn’t retire. But he says that’s not even on his radar as he steps into his new role school administrator at Giltner Public Schools. 
“Hopefully I can use my years of experience, which is going on 40 years in public education,” Cogswell said. “Obviously, I love it because people ask, ‘Why don’t you stop and retire?’ Because I want something to do and I want to be involved in schools. I love being in school, so I’m excited.”
Cogswell was one of four finalists to become the new superintendent at Giltner after former Supt. Nick Mumm resigned late last year, but was eventually hired to fill a newly created administrator role to assist Supt. Matt Gordon, and K-12 principal Kurt Finkey.
“It’s going to be kind of a unique role, because I’m here to support and help Mr. Gordon, Mr. Finkey, and the teachers,” Cogswell said. “I’m here really just in a support role this year to help out and see what I can do to make it better, but my biggest support is going to be for the students and teachers.”
Having met a few students at Giltner, Cogswell has been enjoying his work and even raced a student down the school hallway. 
“What excites me is when I walk into a kindergarten room or first grade room and they share with me what they know,” Cogswell said. “I see that excitement and they share things with me, that a lot of times I don’t know and that’s exciting. The other day, somebody was telling me about a poisonous spider, and I go, ‘Hey, I didn’t know that.’ That’s what’s exciting, is that you never lose that. I think a true educator never loses that desire to learn.”
“I love this profession and that’s what scares you is when we’re not finding people who want to fill roles in this profession,” Cogswell said. “We have to do a better job of honoring those who go into education. It is a tough role... I’ve supervised student teachers and I tell them this, ‘I don’t think it’s going to be challenging, but on the flip side, what are you getting out of it? What are you putting into it?’”
While he said he expects challenges along the way, Cogswell wants teachers and students to know they have the power to make a difference.
“What breaks my heart right now is I want to see young people who fall in love with this,” he said. “It seems like it’s cliché, that you can change the world. But you really can. You can make a difference!”
Cogswell said his focus in this first year is to help Giltner find what best works for the students.
“It’s finding out what works best here and making the process better,” Cogswell said. “It’s one thing that I hope to accomplish is to look at what’s being done here and how we can make it better or improve upon it? Because Giltner has done so many great things.” 
Cogswell grew up on his family’s farm near Friend and since high school he has had his sights set on making an impact in education.
“I’ve always been involved in sports and I love being around people,” He said. “I just went and told my father. I said, ‘I’d really like to teach and coach.’ And he goes, ‘If that’s what you want to do. Then go get your education degree.’ But he says, ‘Fall in love with it.’ His advice was fall in love with what you do, and I did.”
Cogswell earned his undergrad in business education at Peru State, followed by his master’s at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He later earned a doctorate at Seton Hall University and also received a specialist degree at Texas Tech University.
Cogswell began his career at Chester-Hubbell-Byron Schools in Chester as the head coach for volleyball, boys track and boys basketball.
He became the youngest principal in the city of Lubbock, Texas, where he served as a junior high principal but later felt the calling to come home to rural Nebraska.
Cogswell retired in 2021 after 20 years as superintendent of McCool Junction Public Schools, and he said the schools grew and thrived during his tenure.
He then worked as a professor at Wayne State College and assisted in the Education Leadership Program for two years.
“I worked with future principals and superintendents,” Cogswell said. “Then one of my good friends, who was a superintendent at Dorchestor, got another position. He called me and said, ‘How would you like to come back into the superintendency?’ So I said sure. In my role and at my age, I understood I was helping out.”
Cogswell has the same mindset as helping out in Giltner.
“When they offered me to come here, I was excited, because I love having a purpose,” Cogswell said. “My purpose was back from when I told my dad I wanted to teach and coach, and I knew that was in my heart then, and 40 later, it’s still in my heart, and I love it. I’m just glad that I still have value.”
When Giltner seniors walk across the stage to receive their diplomas in May, Cogswell said he hopes they will take with them what they learned from their teachers.
“But it comes years after that, they think, ‘Hey, I remember what Cogswell said here, or I remember what my math teacher told me,’ because it’s more than just the curriculum that’s taught. A great educator influences the whole person.”
One of those former students Cogswell has influenced over the years is Katie Schutte, who will be the new fourth grade teacher at Giltner.
“I watched her come into kindergarten at McCool Junction, watched her all the way through from K through senior,” he said. “Then watching her in the classroom, that’s what it’s about. I walk away with the pride of a dad or a grandpa going, ‘These are my kids and now they’re teaching and I remember her when she was in kindergarten.” 
Cogswell’s wife, Lisa and one of his sons are also teachers. 
“My wife’s a teacher and she’s still teaching,” Cogswell said. “I’ve got a son who’s a teacher, then a son and daughter-in-law who are physical therapists.” 
“Probably one of the highlights of my career is that when we came back to rural Nebraska, I got to go to school everyday with my children and watch them graduate,” he continued. “It was amazing to get to go to school with them. They might not say as much. The hammer fell probably a little harder on them than anybody else, but again, it was always a highlight of your career.”