From the desk of Principal Braithwait
WELCOME BACK! I can’t believe I’m saying those words already. This will be year forty for me in the education business. Every year when I do the welcome back Newsletter, it takes me back to when I first started and how I got where I am today. For those of you that don’t know, here’s how I got here.
It truly seems like yesterday I was getting things ready to move to Crawford, my first job. I had graduated from Chadron State College in 1983 and found this position with the help of a friend, his dad was on the school board at Crawford. I began by teaching PE and coaching HS football, HS basketball, and HS track. I also coached all three of those same sports in JH. Marge and I got married after my freshman year in college and moved to Crawford with our two children. I’ll never forget we thought we were rich because I made a grand total of $11,700 for the year. UNBELIEVABLE! We left Crawford after three years to get back to eastern Nebraska (we are both from Columbus), because Marge’s younger sister was tragically killed in a three-wheeler accident. I was offered, and accepted the PE, Health, AD, assistant FB, head boys’ basketball, assistant track, and bus driving position at Lindsay Holy Family. We were expecting child number three at the end of August. We had all our things packed in a couple of horse trailers we had borrowed from friends and we were packed and ready to move to Lindsay. The night before we were leaving, Marge went into labor and later that day we had child number three. Marge and Tony would be in the hospital for a couple of days because he was a month early. Our neighbor and I drove to Lindsay the following day to move all our things. It was a cool 103 degrees that day. Thank goodness both of our families met us there to help move in.
We really liked Lindsay, but housing was an issue, as was the pay. We were there for two years and made a very difficult decision to leave. I was the head boys’ basketball coach and my second year we made the state basketball tournament for the first time in school history. I was leaving behind a team that returned 8 players that had started games, ouch! I ended interviewing in Arapahoe, a place that neither Marge or I had ever heard of before. During the interview, I met with the head FB coach, who was to be my assistant, and he informed me that John Wooden (arguably the greatest coach ever) would be able to win a game with the kids they had out for basketball. He said the only positive was that the incoming freshman were pretty talented. Turns out, he was right, we went 0-14 that year. We did, however, enjoy the community and school. We liked it enough to stay around for the next 30 years. After year 12, I decided to pursue the elementary principal position that was open due to a retirement. I ended up coaching just basketball and being the elementary principal for the next 13 years before I became the preK-12 principal position for 5 years. I decided to retire after 5 years.
We decided to move to North Platte because we had 7 or our 12 grandchildren close by. It took all of a month before I got bored, so I took a position at Love’s Truck Stop on the interstate. Marge began working at the hospital. I ended up being the manager of the overnight shift for 6 months, before eventually moving to days. The second year of retirement I had a friend call me from UNK and ask me if I would be interested in observing student teachers, and transition teachers around the North Platte area. I took the position at UNK and stayed at Love’s also. The observing of teacher’s got me back into the schools, and I instantly began missing being a part of a school system. I decided to look around and see what was out there. I saw Wallace had a position open, and I saw Tom Sandberg was the superintendent. I knew Mr. Sandberg back from his days at Axtell, we talked for a while, and he told me to get my things in and he would like to interview me. I worked all night getting my paperwork completed and drove over to Wallace to hand things in (at that time to Betty) at the business office. I got a call to interview on an agreed day. I came in to visit with Mr. Sandberg and lo and behold I was seated across from this young guy I had never seen before, Mr. Ferguson.
My first instinct was I’m never taking this position because I didn’t envision myself working for/with this young guy. It took maybe 5 minutes into the interview, and I knew this young guy was different. He was first and foremost, open and honest. I could tell he loved Wallace and was proud of the staff and kids. He was professional, but yet he had a sense of humor. I got to meet some of the staff and was extremely impressed. I knew if offered the position, I would accept. Mr. Ferguson called me early the next morning offering the job. I decided to go one year and see if I liked it. I’m now entering year five and have really love being here.
In the principal position you know that you’re not going to make everyone happy. At some point, you are going to have a student, staff member, parent, grandparent, or patron upset with a decision you’ve made. You really hope it isn’t all of them at the same time. I truly am honored and thankful that I’ve been able to be a part of this school and community. I ‘m blessed I get to work with a superintendent that not only do I consider my boss, but also my friend. I’m blessed to be working with a top-notch staff, and with kids that I truly enjoy being around. I get to work with Kari and Kassie (as good as it gets), and with a support staff that truly loves our kids. A school board that supports the administration, and truly understands why they are on the board, and the responsibility it involves. And extremely blessed to be a part of a community that supports the school and are “Wildcat Proud”.
Let’s all make 2025-2026 the best year ever!!!!
GO CAT’S
