Susan Cassata

By BETSY HANSEN

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) -- Susan Cassata, 1987 Fremont High School graduate, is back in high school.

But she's no longer a student.

Cassata is the youngest principal of the six major high schools in Lincoln - East High School. Her school has 1,500 kids, which she calls "an ideal size for a high school."

It's been an interesting journey.

Cassata graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1991. She began her career in education teaching social studies at Lincoln Southeast High School. The administrative first-step was three years as associate principal at the new Lincoln North Star High School before accepting the principal position at East.

Along the way she received a master's degree in educational leadership from Doane College in Crete. She was an assistant professor at the college teaching educational leadership classes.

"I never saw myself leaving the classroom," she said. "In 2001, the opportunity came to move to administrative work. I said I'd give it a try."

She liked it - a lot.

"I love everything about high school," she said. "There isn't anything about a high school that I don't enjoy. I like it that my time goes in 50-minute increments. I am very blessed to have found something I love to do at this stage of my life. Education has a sense of purpose, and I'm grateful that it fills my sense of purpose."

She enjoys and understands the students.

"High school students are a lot alike no matter where you find them - in small rural schools or in larger urban schools," she said. "Their problems and daily existence are remarkably similar. They all struggle with being a good student, with being a good child and with being a good friend. What I love about high school students is that they are relatively uncomplicated. Their problems are different, their circumstances are different, but they are a really similar beast."

She remembers her years at Fremont High were filled with good experiences.

"I look back really fondly on my high school experiences. My friends base expanded and so did the number and kinds of classes available," she said.

The transition from classroom teacher to assistant principal to principal is not a simple one.

The first year at East, Cassata asked lots of questions, listened carefully and observed the kids and the culture of the school. As principal she has not only the responsibility of assuring the education and safety of each student under her care, but she also must work effectively with a staff of teachers, paraprofessionals, volunteers, custodians, cafeteria workers and grounds people who all have their own concerns both about their job and about their lives.

"I have the responsibility to make sure the staff has the skills to work with all the kids and all the families," she said. "It's a step away from what I was doing when I was teaching. I work with an administrative team of nine to address hiring, building operation, praise, community, student organizations and parent organizations. I spent the last year getting to know kids and the culture of East. I asked questions and listened to responses. We are now questioning practices and asking whether these are best for kids. The questions are harder this year."