Notre Dame’s new principal

CRESCO - Besides having a whole new way of learning because of COVID-19, students at Notre Dame Elementary also met a new principal at the start of the school year.

Katie Schmitt comes to Notre Dame from St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School in Ossian/Spillville, where she started as assistant principal in fall 2019.

She is married to Joe Schmitt, who is a dairy farmer with his brother, Jim, in Schmitt Acres. They live right outside of Fort Atkinson, but not on the farm place.

The couple has three children. She said, “Blake is 21 and helps his dad at our dairy farm, and he also works part-time for another dairy farmer. Brady just graduated from Turkey Valley in the spring and is going to NICC to major in carpentry, and Jacqlyn is 15 and a sophomore at Turkey Valley.”

Their four-legged friends include many cats on the farm. “We have Cupcake and Socks at our home.  These two cats spend a lot of time in our house, even though I consider them outdoor cats.”

Schmitt graduated from Mankato State University in 1990.  “I accepted a job as the sixth grade teacher at Calmar, Festina, Spillville Catholic School and started in fall 1991.” After six years of teaching, she accepted the position as principal, a job she held for 22 years. She received her Masters in Education from Clarke College. 

Schmitt came to Notre Dame because she felt, “It was a great opportunity to use my principal skills. I am looking forward to working with staff, students and parents.”

The new principal is excited to start her new chapter at Notre Dame. One of her first goals is to learn all of the students’ names! “I also want to learn more about the Notre Dame Parish community.”