RACINE — Ellis Turrentine pulled over while driving to work the morning of March 19.
An email informed Turrentine that he had been selected as a 2024 Herb Kohl Educational Foundation principal leader.
Turrentine, Starbuck Middle School principal, was excited and “pleasantly surprised” to be recognized.
He credited his coworkers and said an individual award is never about one person.
“None of this is possible without everybody else,” Turrentine said. “Other people behind the scenes that people don’t even know have put so much work in … There’s way more people that I could name that have helped move Starbuck and made it possible for me to get the award.”
Cassie Kuranz, Case High School principal, agreed.
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She said receiving the Kohl Foundation award is “special” and that her colleagues are excellent.
“It’s not me; it’s a team all the time,” Kuranz said.
Kuranz and Turrentine were two of 17 state principals to receive the award, which comes with $6,000 for each school and $6,000 for each individual. They were nominated by colleagues.
Backgrounds
Turrentine has led Starbuck for the past seven years.
In 2022-23, the most recent school year for which state report card scores are available, Starbuck received a two-star rating, meaning the school met few expectations.
However, that was an improvement for the building, which had not earned a two-star rating since 2013-14. All scores in prior years were one-star ratings, meaning the school failed to meet expectations.
Turrentine said a big part of that improvement is the consistency of most staff and administration staying at Starbuck for several years.
Kuranz has been a consistent part of Case for 20 years.
She graduated from Case and has worked at the high school as a math teacher, dean of students, academy principal and principal.
Kuranz said the example of Jody Bloyer, former Case principal, made her interested in becoming an administrator.
She appreciated that Bloyer, who is now RUSD chief of schools, ran a building focused on instruction and led through kindness — but held people accountable without micromanaging.
“It’s not always easy to lead and be kind, but she showed me that that can happen,” Kuranz said. “You can be a good leader and care about people.”
Challenges
Turrentine began his career as a paraprofessional in Milwaukee Public Schools in 1993. He also has been a teacher and assistant principal.
He has mainly worked with middle-schoolers and likes that they are maturing but still require support.
“They want to be so independent, but they’re still not,” Turrentine said. “They think they don’t need you, but they still need you.”
Turrentine said the keys to being a good principal include collaboration and trusting that colleagues share the same goals and vision.
The job can be challenging, especially when students don’t finish school and get in trouble outside of class.
“We exhaust all our interventions,” Turrentine said. “When they don’t make it, it’s heartbreaking sometimes to hear some of the stories when they’re done. There’s nothing you can do. We gave it our best.”
That can be difficult to deal with, but Turrentine’s faith keeps him grounded during turbulent moments.
Turrentine also knew early in his career that he shouldn’t take work stresses home, which is sometimes easier said than done.
“If you want to do this for a while, you gotta let it go sometimes, and you gotta have some time for yourself,” Turrentine said.
For Kuranz, the job has numerous challenges, but she always comes back to her affection for the work.
“I love what I do,” Kuranz said. “I love this building. I love this community, so to me it’s not about stress, necessarily. I have an amazing team. We try to do everything as a team, and that takes the stress off of all of us in some form or fashion. If I start to get stressed, I just remember why I’m here and why I’m doing this. That usually can bring me back. I’m lucky.”
Kuranz said her “guiding light” is centering students when choices need to be made.
“Anything we do, we ask ourselves, ‘Is this good and right for students?’” Kuranz said. “If you’re not here for the kids and the students and the staff, then you’re not going to do very well, probably.”
Indeed, Kuranz “exemplifies the type of leader who makes all decisions through the lens of what is best for students,” her Kohl Foundation award nominator wrote. “She has weathered many storms in our large, urban setting and has become a steady and responsive force.”
Kuranz is usually at Case from about 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, and often at weekend activities.
She likes going to extracurricular events to see students outside the classroom, and for them to know her better.
“That’s the fun part,” Kuranz said. “That’s the part that reminds you, ‘This is why you do what you do.’ … It allows them to see that you’re human.”
Rewards
For Kuranz, the most enjoyable part of the job is graduation.
“That culminating moment is super special,” she said. “Any time a kid or an adult figures something out that they’re struggling with and you get to be a part of that, that’s a very rewarding moment.”
This is Kuranz’s fourth year as Case principal, and she hopes to be in the role for the foreseeable future.
“I would be happy if I got to be here for a while,” Kuranz said.
The Kohl Foundation award comes in Turrentine’s final year as Starbuck principal.
He is “excited and happy that I was able to do it while I was still here in this district,” Turrentine said.
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Sounding it out
Teacher Melani Raditz instructs students during a reading lesson Monday, Oct. 23 at Wadewitz Elementary, 2700 Yout St. Racine Unified aims to …
Fisher, Pfeffer and Katzer
Racine Unified board member Nikki Fisher, from left, talks to Jenny Pfeffer and Don Katzer Monday, Oct. 23 at Wadewitz Elementary, 2700 Yout S…
Greta Neubauer
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Pfeffer and students
Jenny Pfeffer, Wadewitz early literacy coach, sits with students during a lesson Monday, Oct.23 at Wadewitz Elementary, 2700 Yout St. Pfeffer …
Soren Gajewski
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Barbian and O'Connell
Racine Unified School Board President Jane Barbian, left, talks with RUSD board member Brian O'Connell on Monday, Oct. 23 at Wadewitz Elementa…
McGuire, board members
Tip McGuire, from left, Theresa Villar, Jane Barbian and Brian O'Connell observed reading lessons Monday, Oct. 23 at Wadewitz Elementary, 2700…