New assistant principal Strothmann takes 'student-centered' approach

Ask Kristen Strothmann about her philosophy as an elementary educator and you’ll likely notice one recurring word.

“There should be joy in this work,” the new Mill Road Elementary assistant principal said. “When you’re around kids, it should feel joyful. A school should feel like a place where everybody wants to be here.”

After two years away, Mill Road was a place she wanted to be. A special education teacher on the primary side of the building for seven years, Strothmann formally returned to the now-consolidated elementary school on Aug. 19.

“It was definitely the right move to make,” Strothmann said. “It was a school I loved and a community I loved, so I’m happy to be back.”

Strothmann is also rejoining Principal Brian Boyd. The two previously worked together on various projects and committees during her first stint at Mill Road. Boyd said her “work ethic” and “very genuine, honest approach” made an immediate and repeated impression.

“It’s always student-centered,” he said. “For both of us, that’s a really clear alignment – we put students first.”

Before serving as an associate principal at Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School in the Hudson City School District for the last two years, Strothmann worked in special education for the Poughkeepsie and Watervliet city school districts, as well as Red Hook. That background in one-on-one intervention informs her educational approach.

“When I think about a situation with students I really am thinking about an individual, as opposed to an entire class or an entire school, and thinking about what does this child need in this situation in order to find success at school,” the Arlington High School graduate said. “So, I try to tailor my decision-making and resources that I bring to kids on an individual level, as much as possible.”

On her second day on the job, Strothmann and Boyd greeted several incoming kindergarteners and their families at the pavilion behind Mill Road before a Stories by the Swings event. She rejoins the staff for a fall in which the Primary and Intermediate schools have officially become a single unit.

Boyd said the process of joining the two populations already began last year – his role as the Intermediate School principal was expanded to all grades in February – with all students taking part in some of the bigger events, like field day and the reading incentive program. And, he noted, the two elementary building occupants have operated somewhat intertwined throughout his 17 years. Still, there’s some work to be done to complete the transition.

“I think a big part of what I would like to support Brian on this year is bringing the two schools together into one community,” Strothmann said. “We’re thinking about what we can do to bring the teachers and the kids and the families together so we’re functioning as one larger community.”

Moving forward, Mill Road will likely have a mix of events and initiatives, with some suited for just one age group and others in which the whole population can be engaged.

Strothmann, a Poughkeepsie native who holds a dual master’s degree in Teaching Students with Disabilities and Literacy from SUNY Albany, called it a “privilege and honor” to return to Red Hook.

Being at Mill Road, she said, you can watch children “grow and learn and develop – making friendships, problem-solving, working together – all those things. To watch students go from 4 years old to 11 and see all the growth and development is really pretty awesome.”