I’m so excited to be starting here at MacArthur, and I wanted to offer a personal introduction. While I’ve already had the chance to meet some of you, I want to be sure every family has the opportunity to put a face with a name and get to know me a little better.

A little background about me: I spent nearly 10 years teaching high school science — everything from introductory courses to AP Physics, and just about everything in between. I also coached football, basketball, and track at the high school level, as well as summer speed and strength programs in Oconomowoc. I stepped away from coaching when our first child was on the way, but those years in the classroom and on the field remain a big part of who I am.

The lessons I learned and was privileged to teach, through both academics and athletics, continue to guide me today. Teaching kids how to “charge your storms,” work through adversity, stay optimistic in the face of challenge, and care for others. Teaching how to handle winning with humility, and how to get back up from a loss, even when you’ve given everything you had and still fallen short; how to try something new, how to care for teammates, and how to be accountable to something bigger than yourself. All the lessons I’ve learned, and I love to share with our community and kids, whenever opportunities present themselves. I’ve never stopped teaching; my classroom just got a little bit bigger.

After teaching in Oconomowoc, I moved on to serve as an assistant principal at Longfellow Middle School in Wauwatosa, where I spent three wonderful years continuing to learn and grow as a leader. Most recently, I come from five years at Richmond School District, a small K-8 Arrowhead feeder school, where I served as principal, director of instruction, and many of the other roles that leaders in small districts often take on.

I’m also a husband and father. My wife, Alyssa, and I have three children: Aiden (4th grade), Hadley (2nd grade), and Cole, who will turn four in November. Outside of school, I enjoy fitness, spending time outdoors, and, most of all, joining in whatever activities my kids are into at the moment. My vision for any school I serve is simple: I want every student here to experience what I want for my own children — a place where they feel happy and safe, where they’re excited to learn, and a school they look forward to coming back to each and every day.

I’m excited to set aside the many hats I wore as a small-district principal and be fully focused on being the best principal I can be here at MacArthur. In just a few days, it’s clear this is a special school in an amazing community. I promise to honor the values you hold dear, build on the strong foundation already in place, and keep moving the needle for kids. Thank you for the warm welcome and open arms — I look forward to connecting with you in person soon.

Steve Behrendt
Principal
MacArthur