Brenda Lentz hire as K-4 principal for the Howard-Winneshiek School District

CRESCO - Brenda Lentz, former Special Ed Director for the Howard Winneshiek School District has accepted the position of PK-4 Principal for the upcoming school year. With 32 years in education with experience in various roles, Lentz brings a unique professional perspectives of support and empathy to the world of education.

Lentz first moved to Cresco as a child and grew up to graduate from Crestwood. She attended Kirkwood Community College and graduated with an Associate’s of Arts degree. Working as a nanny, she found enjoyment in spending time and doing activities with children. She went on to attend and graduate from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary & Middle School Education with a minor in mathematics.

In 1993, Lentz started her first position with the Howard-Winneshiek School District by becoming a part-time math and English teacher in the middle school. Later, she taught math full-time, coached, and worked on obtaining her Masters degree in educational leadership and administration. 

Upon completion her Master’s Degree, Mrs. Lentz was a Principal at Elma and Ridgeway Elementary and also worked as a PK-8 Principal in Minnesota earning her Specialist’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

In 2008, Lentz came back to the Howard Winneshiek and worked within the special education department and with at-risk youth. She enjoyed helping children work through difficult life obstacles and providing them with the tools needed to graduate. She then transitioned into a reading intervention position for kindergarten through third grade which offered many rewards seeing students grow exponentially at this level. Lentz reflects how everything has come “full circle” and how her experience in various roles has helped shaped her overall outlook on the education experience for students, families, and staff. Having worked at all levels of the K-12 system, Lentz feels confident in her ability to support the community and the local education system with a safe learning environment that focuses on collaboration to improve systems for students. 

Lentz is excited to work with the “great elementary staff” who are “ambitious, caring and talented” and who have “helped her grow” through her time in the school district. She looks forward to “meeting the diverse need” of students, while also “bridging the gap between families and schools.” It is important to Lentz that parents feel involved throughout their childs’ educational experience, and that “they feel heard.”

Mrs. Lentz is married to Chris Lentz a retired High school teacher. She has two daughters, Savannah in California, and Kayla in Missouri. The Lentz family are all alumni of the Howard-Winneshiek CSD and have experienced the legacy of a quality education with strong community supports.