AHS grad excited to step in as new elementary principal
For Cody Hoegh, stepping into the principal’s office at Aurora Elementary School this fall has been less about starting over and more about returning to familiar territory.
Hoegh, who spent the past several years as an assistant principal at Aurora High School, has made the move to the elementary school where he will serve as principal. While the building and the age of the students are different, Hoegh said the transition has been a smooth one.
Part of that is because elementary students are hardly unfamiliar to him. Before moving into administration, Hoegh taught elementary physical education in Seward and Lincoln. He has also spent considerable time outside the classroom coaching youth sports, giving him the opportunity to build relationships with many of the students and families he will now serve as principal.
“I have spent a lot of time outside of school coaching baseball, basketball, and flag football with many of the elementary students, so I know quite a few of the students and their families,” he said.
As an assistant principal, Hoegh became familiar with Aurora students, the community and the inner workings of Aurora Public Schools. He also had the opportunity to learn from high school administrators Doug Kittle and Jay Staehr. He said his time at Aurora High School provided valuable preparation for his new role.
“The time I spent in the high school was very beneficial in knowing students, families, the community, and how the district operates,” Hoegh said. “I learned so much from Mr. Kittle and Mr. Staehr as a high school administrator. They were amazing mentors to me, and we worked well together.”
Hoegh said the high school staff also played an important role in his development as an administrator.
“The high school staff was great to learn from, and I grew as an educator,” he said. “Our administrative team works well together, and I have leaned on them as I gained experience in my role.”
Summer transition
The transition to the elementary school began well before the first day of school. Former elementary principal Mark Standage, who retired at the end of the school year, spent considerable time with Hoegh during the spring and summer, helping him become familiar with the responsibilities and challenges of leading the building.
“Mark was extremely helpful and so good to me with the transition,” Hoegh said. “Mark is such a well-respected administrator and has great experiences for me to learn from.”
The two spent considerable time going through the many details involved in leading the elementary school.
“Mark and I spent a lot of time meeting this summer and last spring, going over as many items as we could,” Hoegh shared. “The time he graciously gave to me, to share his wisdom, I am so grateful for that.”
Hoegh also credited former elementary administrator Desiree’ Teahon with helping make the transition smoother for both himself and incoming assistant principal Nick Lonowski.
“Both Mark and Desiree’ did an awesome job of leading the elementary, and they let us know they are just a phone call away,” he said.
Joining Hoegh in the elementary administration is Lonowski, an Adams Central graduate whom Hoegh said brings valuable elementary teaching and administrative experience to Aurora.
“Nick and his family are a great addition to the community, and we are so lucky to have him as an administrator in the elementary,” Hoegh said.
Lonowski also brings the skills and personality the district was seeking in its new assistant principal, Hoegh noted.
“He brings elementary teaching and administration experience, and he has the relationship-building skills, personality, character, and servant mindset that we were looking for in this role,” Hoegh said.
With two new administrators leading the building, Hoegh said their first priority will be relatively simple.
“Our main objective for this year is to build relationships with staff, students, and families of the elementary school,” he said.
That objective starts with a strong foundation. Hoegh said the elementary school already has an outstanding staff and reputation in the community on which he hopes to build.
“We have amazing teachers, paras, and support staff that we will rely on,” he said. “The AES has a great reputation, and we will work to maintain that reputation to make each day a great experience for students and families.”
Hoegh said he and Lonowski hope to bring energy to the building each day while maintaining the positive culture already established.
“We hope to bring our energy and enthusiasm to the building every day so that students and staff are excited to be a part of the elementary school,” he said.
Hoegh said administrative assistants Carey McCoy and Linda Simmons have also been invaluable as he and Lonowski have prepared for the new school year.
“Carey McCoy and Linda Simmons, the administrative assistants, have been amazing for Nick and me,” he said. “They have helped and continue to help us in so many ways in the planning of the school year and in day-to-day operations. We’re lucky to have them, especially as two new administrators in the building.”
The new administrative team also had an opportunity to build relationships with elementary staff through professional development and training during the summer.
“As a staff, we went to some trainings and professional development together this summer, so that was a good way to work together and get to know each other before the school year started,” he said.
Background
For Hoegh, the move represents a new chapter in his administrative career, one built upon experiences and relationships developed throughout his career in education and his years in the Aurora community.
The youngest son of Jerry and Trish Hoegh of Aurora, Hoegh graduated from AHS in 2002 and earned a degree in education from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2006. He taught K-6 physical education in Seward and Lincoln from 2007-13, then served as assistant principal and activities director in Waverly from 2013-16. He and his family moved to Aurora in 2016, where he has since served as assistant high school principal.
“We have amazing students, families, and teachers at the elementary school,” he said. “Nick and I will continue to learn and grow as administrators in the building. We will work to make the community proud.”
Hoegh and his wife Emily, a mental health practitioner who runs a private practice in Grand Island, have four children, including Tinley, a sophomore at AHS; Hadley an eighth grader at Aurora Middle School; Huxley, a sixth grader; and Remy, who is in second grade.