New principal primed for attendance centers

Andy Gottlob saw a great opportunity for a fresh start when he signed on to become the new Lincoln Elementary School principal for USD 257.
“New attendance centers is like starting a whole new building, a lot of our teachers are new to this facility and we have the ability to make it the way we want,” Gottlob said.
Lincoln will be home to third- through fourth-graders starting next week.
“I’m really excited about the attendance centers,” he said. “I think there is a lot of great things we can do here.”
Gottlob, a long time educator, hails from Girard. He grew up in the community and graduated from Girard High School in 1986.
But education wasn’t his first career choice. He first worked as a firefighter in Pittsburg for six years before earning a teaching degree at Pittsburg State University. Right out of college he started teaching at the middle school in Girard. There he taught reading and coached 7th and 8th grade volleyball and 8th grade boys basketball for eight years.
“I took my first administrative job as an elementary school principal in Pittsburg and I was there for nine years,” he said.
Some might call it a mid-life crisis, others might say it was a much needed break, but Gottlob decided to step away from education a little over a year ago.
“A lot was going on around that time and I just got burned out on education, so I made the tough decision to take a year off,” he said.
The break didn’t last long. About a year later Gottlob was asked by a friend to serve as a principal in Valley Center.
“He told me it could just be interim if I wanted but after I stepped back into the school it rekindled everything for me and got me excited to be an educator again,” he said.
After the year was up he began looking for jobs closer to Girard so he could be closer to his children. His oldest daughter, Sierra, 25, teaches in Spring Hill as a speech pathologist; daughter Sydney, 17, is a junior at Girard High, and son Charlie, 6, just started kindergarten.
When the elementary principalship opened up in Iola he knew it was the right place for him.
“Iola is one of the communities that reminds me of Girard,” he said. “There are good people who take care of each other.”
Working in Iola is a change but Gottlob said he believes change is good.
“The people here have been so nice and that is huge,” he said. “All the staff seems to be open to change, too.”
Gottlob said one thing he’s learned as an educator is that each child learns differently and it’s his goal to make sure each child receives a quality education.
“Everyone can be assured that no child will slip through the cracks and they will get the help they need,” he said.
Outside of school Gottlob enjoys fishing with his son and spending time outdoors. He has been involved in his church in Pittsburg for the last 13 years.
“I enjoy being involved there,” he said. “I drive the bus, help with Sunday School and love helping with church activities.”