When it comes to elementary school, most people remember the obstacle courses in the gym or the book fairs and bake sales, but above all most students remember their principle. This year Revere Elementary School (RES) is welcoming a new member to its team, Principal Tara Kieser.
With 22 years of experience, Kieser responded to a call for more responsibility and challenge by making the shift to RES principal this school year.
Kieser’s passion for education stems from her childhood where, being the second oldest in a family of ten, she started teaching and guiding at a young age.
“I think being around children my whole life just fueled my passion for wanting to work with kids and wanting to help others. I think that wanting to serve others is something that I’m really passionate about,” Kieser said.
Along with supporting her siblings Kieser grew up on a 200 acre dairy farm boasting around 200 dairy cows which provide a whole host of extra responsibilities.
“Trying to come up with a common goal, work[ing] together towards it and problem solv[ing], all of that really came from growing up on a farm and working through that with my siblings and making sure chores got done and working together,” Kieser said.
Kieser’s commitments at home did not stop her from pursuing her passions at school where she competed in wrestling, track and field, cross country and briefly as a cheerleader. Being an athlete in both high school and college gave Kieser a deeper appreciation and admiration of the coaches that guided her. Unbeknownst to them, the passion they showed influenced her own.
“I was an athlete in high school and college, but then coached as well at the high school level for fifteen years. That desire to coach and help others learn and grow kind of is what fueled my desire to be a principal,” Kieser said.
During her tenure as a track and field coach, Kieser learned a lot about managing students and expanding on their potential.
“Communication’s really important because you need to work with your assistant coaches and communicate to your teams. Sometimes students will think they know what they want to do, but sometimes as a coach you have to try to help influence them, see some potential in them and help influence them in another direction,” Kieser said.
Applying that to education, Kieser looks for potential in teachers, finding ways to push them and expand their style of teaching.
Kieser started her career as an intervention specialist for preschool students, a position she held for twelve years. During this time, she fell in love with working closely with children but also with parents to create the best possible support system. This passion to be present in students’ lives both educationally and socially is what pushed Kieser to search for a large position within the school.
“I just like challenging myself and setting goals for myself, continuously improving and growing and learning. But more importantly [the question] was how can I serve more people and help more students and more families?” Kieser said.
After a few years as a middle school intervention specialist, she transitioned back after realizing she enjoyed working with the younger students more. Finally, following her passion, she became the assistant principal for the Hudson City School District. Kieser remained there for nine years before taking her next step forward to Revere. Keiser’s most recent transition to Revere came from a desire and readiness to become a principal and a great appreciation for the Revere Community.
“It was just the right time in my life to seek that opportunity. And then the reputation for Revere, the community, the staff and the schools is very positive and collaborative and that’s something that I want to be part of,” Kieser said.
According to Bryan Petsche, the assistant principal at RES, the relationship between a principal and assistant principal is based heavily on teamwork. This year he is looking forward to supporting Kieser and working together to build on the previous year’s positive growth.
“It’s crucial that you’re both on the same page. We always look at it as you have to be working together, knowing each other, bouncing ideas off one another. The job entails so many different things, whether it be student discipline, instructional leadership, helping teachers with certain things, [but] as long as the principal and assistant principal are on the same page and working together cohesively, the job [is] easier and beneficial to everyone,” Petsche said.
Daniel White is also a new addition to the community, taking over the role of superintendent for Revere Public Schools. Although he did not have much part in her hiring process, he knows what to look for in general when hiring for such an important position.
“When hiring for a position you’re looking at experience, you’re looking for people’s interactions with others, collaboration, setting goals and moving forward to help a district, a school or something of that nature get better,” White said.
Coming into the 2024-2025 school year the theme at RES is “The Power of One,” an initiative that promotes teamwork, service and friendship.
“On opening day [we] talked to our staff about the power of one. One act of kindness can start a friendship. One smile can make somebody’s day. One teacher can really impact a child’s life. And if we work together as one building or if we work together as one district, I think we can do really great things,” Kieser said.
In addition to the “Power of One” initiative, Kieser’s goals for the year revolve around creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and respected.
“My passion and my vision is to really create a space where everybody feels included. At the center of that is just really treating people with kindness. Just encouraging our students to think about how it’s not just about what I want and what I want to do, but how that impacts the people around me,” Kieser said.
