For Central’s new superintendent, Micah Gearhart, leading the district means not only managing daily operations but strengthening the partnerships that make it successful. 

During an interview earlier this month, Gearhart said his goal right now is to build connections—get to know people, listen and understand the history. 

“To lead effectively, you have to have context and partnerships. We’re much stronger together than we are apart. When you’re working collaboratively on common goals, that’s when you see real success,” he said.

Since stepping into the role in September, Gearhart has made an intentional effort to learn the district’s history and build relationships with students, staff and community members alike.

Gearhart earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Wartburg College, a master’s degree in educational administration from Mankato State University and his superintendent’s endorsement from the University of Northern Iowa.

He began his career at Estherville-Lincoln Central, where he taught seventh grade math, life skills and first grade. He later served as dean of students at Armstrong-Ringsted before joining the Camanche Community School District, where he worked as special education and curriculum director as well as elementary principal.

Most recently, Gearhart spent 11 years at North Fayette Valley, including the past three as middle school principal.

Gearhart shared what initially drew him to Central was the district’s reputation as well as the beauty and recreation available in northeast Iowa. 

“Central’s always had a great reputation for staff that really care about the kids, kids that are well behaved and families that are very supportive,” he said.

When Gearhart, his wife Alyssa and their four kids moved for his position at North Fayette Valley, they “fell in love” with the area. “It fits our hobbies. We love hiking and camping. My second son is a big fisherman—you can’t get a much better place to enjoy those hobbies.”

Reflecting on learning of the opportunity to advance his career at Central, Gearhart said, “The board did a nice job of sharing what they really wanted and I feel my strengths matched well with what they were looking for.”

In an effort to get to know members of the Central community outside the school, Gearhart has met with the Elkader chief of police, city administrator and staff, visited local businesses and attended an Elkader City Council meeting. 

Gearhart recently participated in the Elkader Opera House Players production of “Crazy For You.” He said, “I graduated with elementary education, but I started in music education. I’d never been in a musical or a play, but it was a great experience. It was a unique opportunity to challenge myself and a different way to get connected.”

To get to know Central students and families, he prioritizes attending school and athletic events. At the fall parent teacher conferences, he will be available in the commons area for a “meet and greet.”

When asked about his transition, Gearhart said, “It has been amazing. Both with North Fayette Valley supporting me in this position, as 20 percent of my time is still purchased by them doing human resources. The staff here at Central have been so supportive and offer to help in any capacity.”

Gearhart shared his first impression of the school: “You can tell the staff truly care about the kids. There is a mentality of kids first here. You see it, you hear it, but when you experience it and see firsthand the time [the staff] is putting in and the extra effort going into the lessons they’re developing, it’s a neat experience to be a part of.”

Besides the staff, he also recognized the community. “Whether it’s a football game, volleyball game or the arts, the community shows up to support and rally around the kids.” 

“It’s such a good partnership. Things that are good for the district are good for the community. Things that have been good for the communities are good for the district. The sense of community pride people have here and wanting to see the school and community be successful is a great strength,” he added.

Gearhart shared a recent interaction with students when he attended the Upper Iowa Vocal Festival. “I had a couple of the high schoolers come up and say, ‘Thank you for coming out and supporting us, Mr. Gearhart.’ That, to me, is something you don’t see everywhere. Having students that are noticing, they are appreciative and they’re making those connections and those life skills you hope kids have.”

When setting goals and looking toward the future, Gearhart shared  it is important for him to first gain a deep understanding of the district. “I am definitely still in the learning phase and I’m valuing that. It’s been so beneficial to me, to understand the context and the history. To be able to lead effectively, you have to have that background.”

On how he would measure success for the district, he shared, “I think when you look at a successful school district, it’s a school district that can offer a variety of activities for students to get engaged. It’s creating a welcoming environment they’ll remember when they look back at their school career. Then bringing it to the academics, preparing our kids to be productive citizens able to go on to a four-year college, community college or enter the workforce.”

When asked about any challenges or opportunities he saw for Central, Gearhart shared two common issues for rural districts: enrollment and space constraints. 

In terms of enrollment, he said, “Not necessarily to be doom and gloom, just to stay thoughtful about how you are positioning yourself. Making sure you are attracting people to the community, that the community is working to build the infrastructure to be able to host new people and our businesses are thriving.”

While having a wide range of activities is a strength for a school Central’s size, it can also create challenges with facility space, especially during winter months. Gearhart noted he’s already seen how coaches work together to coordinate schedules and find solutions.

Gearhart said his top priority is continuing to learn about the district while building relationships with students, staff and community members. 

He will also focus on long-term planning through shared leadership, supporting student and staff success, maximizing opportunities while maintaining financial stability and keeping strong communication across the Central community.