The incoming principal at Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna is anxious to get started in his new job. The MCI board announced this week that Bernie Leoppky was hired for the private school's top job and will officially start in July.

He has worked as a teacher for most of his career but has also done some work with Mennonite Central Committee and has experience in human resources as an immigration consultant. Loeppky feels fairly comfortable taking on this new career opportunity.

"I've been here in the school already for the past three years, two of my children attended school here, both my parents went here, so in some ways I feel like I'm part of a long storied tradition. I've also had an incredible amount of support and encouragement from the staff, students, parents and the board of directors, which makes the challenges of the job feel like the good work of community."

This will be the first administrative position Loeppky has ever held, but the career teacher seems to be taking it all in stride.

"Any new job is always daunting, but I've spend most of my teaching career in junior high. After doing that there isn't a whole lot that seems terribly daunting."

Last fall, school administration and board members hammered out a framework and directions for MCI pertaining to some innovative things in education, in the residence and in constituency
and church relations. While Loeppky didn't give a lot of detail on that exercise, he did indicate that there are some priorities the school has identified.

"I think we need to continue to be deliberate in making connections with all aspects of school life and our faith. Also to encourage faith development and service in our students. Of course we'd like to boost enrollment as well, and efforts are underway to address that issue already," said Loeppky.

MCI has is well known throughout its constituency as a quality faith based institution that provides excellent learning opportunities for students through its music and sports programs and other curricula. All of that can be used as tools to recruit students, but according to Loeppky, the best way to create awareness and interest is still the old fashioned 'word of mouth' method.

"I think if we create the kind of education and residence experiences that kids go home excited about and talk to their parents, friends and relatives about, then that's the strongest kind of awareness we can build."