Erik Widvey was principal of Kimball Area High School for 12 years. He is now interim superintendent for the 2018-19 school year. Staff photo by Jean Doran Matua.
By Jean Doran Matua, Editor
“It’s going okay,” said interim superintendent Erik Widvey last week, on day 11 in his new role. There’s already a lot in progress, he explained, and nothing big to fix. “That makes the transition easier.”
It’s interactions with kids that’s most important to Widvey. “At the heart of everything we do [as educators] is kids,” he said. “They’re the pulse of how things are going.”
Granted, as superintendent, Widvey will be spending less one-on-one time with students. And he’s in a new role, with Nancy Bonnifield the new interim principal. But he plans to maintain those relationships with students and families nonetheless. “We have great kids, great families, and a great community.”
Widvey now oversees two buildings instead of one, and about 100 staff and 800 students. Everything is wider and deeper in scope now. His biggest challenge: “Trying to get my arms around how it all works, how all the pieces are interconnected.”
Widvey grew up in Battle Lake. His dad was his superintendent, and his uncle was a long-time superintendent as well. Many others in his family are in education, too. He got his degree at SCSU in social studies education. He was a teacher and coach at Milaca for six years before he was encouraged to go back to school for his administrative certification. He was at Brainerd for two years, and Proctor another two years, before coming to Kimball in 2006. This year starts his 23rd year in education, and he has no regrets.
Widvey had requested the “interim” status of the superintendent job, for the 2018-19 school year, to make sure it’s a good fit for everyone.
In his off time, Widvey loves the outdoors, and fall is his favorite season. Pheasant hunting is a passion.
Widvey has two daughters, both now in college, and a fiancée.