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After her first few weeks on the job as North Branch's new superintendent of schools, Dr. Deb Henton says she's found much to like about the district and the people she's met, and is anxious for her first official year as a superintendent to begin.

Coming from a district (St. Paul) where there were 100 and more members on its administrative team; Henton said she likes that she can call an informal gathering of North Branch's main administrators and they all fit inside her home. "...systematically, this district is manageable, I feel like I can wrap my arms around it," was her comment.

Supt. Henton also likes her early impression of a "spirit of cooperation" apparent throughout the system.

Staff are knowledgeable about curriculum and how it translates into student achievement. Contract negotiations with teachers and custodial staff seem to be progressing at an acceptable pace, and not bogged down in minutiae.

And, on top of that-- everybody seems to genuinely get along, Dr. Henton observed.

North Branch's newest superintendent lives in the Stillwater area but has no plans to relocate soon. She and her husband finished constructing a home just months ago, on a lot they divided off from their long-held township acreage. The new house is designed with what they wanted, and they want to be able to enjoy it-- at least for awhile. And, the family home is close enough that she can look at it, should she get wistful for those memories bringing up two children. Henton plans to be seen around North Branch, though, do speaking programs, and get comfortable in the community. She's been introducing herself at all the school district sites this summer.

Dr. Henton succeeded superintendent Rodney Reisnouer, who retired July 1.

Henton's most recent job was as Chief of Staff at St. Paul Schools, where she had experiences with a highly diverse student populations. (There were 40 languages/dialects spoken in the last school building she served.)

Henton commented if there was one thing she learned the importance of-- going back to 2001 as assistant principal at St. Paul's Harding High School and into the late 1990s as assistant principal at Oltman Junior High in St. Paul Park-- it would be the "power of communication."

As an executive director for St. Paul's 16 alternative learning centers she saw many challenged students succeed. She is aware with the release of the latest round of MCA II test scores that the special education populations and free or reduced lunch groups of North Branch students need some attention. (See school board story).

Supt. Henton is convinced she's in the right place at the right time.

She was one of six applicants considered by the School Board as finalists. "I wasn't expecting to get this superintendent job here," she remarked. "I always knew I would be a superintendent someday," but she thought it would come later in her career.

She arrived at North Branch a couple hours early for her final interview and visited some schools on her free time. "It felt right, I felt glad to be here."

Henton got into teaching later in life, around age 29 she went back to college. She has a six year old and three year old at home. She taught in the classroom for six years, but remembers, "I was advised to keep my options open, and get an administrative license." She did just that, and a non-instruction job opened up in the South Washington County Dist. From there her career has included assistant principal at three schools, four years as Harding High School Principal, ALC director for St. Paul Schools for two years and the Chief of Staff position she left for North Branch.

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