My name is Will Gottlob. I am the Superintendent of White Lake School District #1-3 as well as K-12 principal. This is my first year in this position. I spent the last 5 years as the 6-12 Math teacher, also in White Lake. My wife, Tayla, also teaches in the district as the k-12 SPED teacher. We just celebrated out 5-year wedding anniversary and the one-year birthday of our child, Greyson. I am currently working on my specialist degree in school administration-superintendent at the University of South Dakota. I got my masters in school administration from South Dakota State University. I got my bachelor’s in mathematics and education from Black Hills State University. I have also coached all five years in White Lake and three more years in my time during college at Belle Fourche High School.
I support the work Tim McGowan is doing as I see a need in our district for more connection and pride in our school among both students and staff. The workshop he did with our staff was described as the most unique and enjoyable experience our staff has had in recent memory. Our students enjoy the comradery and getting to work with younger students.
I think the students at White Lake School District benefitted greatly from our Legacy Leaders program (our version of Networks of Support). The statistical outcomes are apparent when students to go from being able to name less than 1 trusted adult on average prior to mentoring and then able to name over 2 trusted adults on average post mentoring.
These students are becoming more self-sufficient and confident in their own abilities. Anecdotally, in White Lake High School there is one student who “came out of his shell” during the year he participated in Legacy Leaders. He went from a shy, often described as angry student, who showed little interest in school life, to now being a more confident student and athlete who is talking with his teachers and friends about attending college for the first time. He even reached out to his trusted adult asking about attending a college visit day. While this is an example of a dramatic shift in one student’s outlook, I think Legacy Leaders has had similar positive outcomes on many students in our school, as well as the school in general.
I cannot speak more highly of the program, the support Tim has provided, and the efforts of our local team to run this program.
