Norgaard named 'Outstanding Superintendent'

McCook Public Schools Superintendent Grant Norgaard, center, stands with his family after being presented with the Outstanding Superintendent 2020-21 award from the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association. Shown with Norgaard on his right is wife, Michele, and children, Victoria and Hayden. To his left are his parents, Ron and Carol Norgaard and brother, Greg Norgaard.

Courtesy photo

McCOOK, Neb. — The superintendent at McCook Public Schools was named “Outstanding Superintendent, 2020-21” by the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association.

Grant Norgaard said had no idea he was up for the award and was taken by surprise when he was announced as the winner.

The NRCSA annually honors excellence found in the faculty, administrations and boards of member schools. Norgaard was cited as being recognized throughout his district, community and state to provide strong leadership and guidance, with schools, community organizations and state groups benefitting from his dedication and passion to see students succeed at all levels.

Norgaard attended the annual NRCSA meeting this year with members of the McCook School Board who were able to attend. Not only were his wife and children sequestered secretly backstage, but his parents of North Platte, Neb., and brother of Chicago, Ill., were waiting with them. They all came out on stage when Norgaard was announced as the recipient.

“They made it pretty special,” he said of his family attending. As for the award, “You go to these award events and you never expect it to be you.”

Nomination letters were sent to the NRCSA selection committee on behalf of Norgaard by McCook School Board president, Tom Bredvick, school district business manager, John Brazell and McCook High School principal, Jeff Gross. Those recommendations were cited in the speech leading up to the announcement of the award. Bredvick commended Norgaards’ role during COVID-19, by being “forthright and factual with our parents, the media, and our board about our risk levels at every turn in this pandemic.” Gross stated, “I have never seen a staff member not want to give everything that they have for him.  All of our administrators believe in him and lean on him for his expertise and knowledge.”

The presenter of the award, Jim Widdifield, Minden Public Schools Superintendent, inserted his own personal recollection of Norgaard. First meeting him several years ago when his school was making instructional and data changes, Widdifield noticed “he had more charts and graphs than any one person should have.” 

Norgaard was hired as superintendent at McCook Public Schools in 2009.

He graduated from North Platte High School in 1990 and from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor's in elementary education in 1994.

He taught for five years at Battle Creek, Neb., for fourth and fifth grade and coached football, winter conditioning, track, and summer conditioning. In 1999, he graduated from Wayne State College with a Master's in Elementary Administration.

He was hired as the elementary and junior high principal in Dundy County and also taught strength and conditioning class at the high school and coached football and track. From 2002 -2005, he was the elementary principal in Columbus, Neb., and superintendent at Leigh Community Schools from 2005-9. He earned a specialist in educational administration degree at UNL in 2007.

He currently serves on the Nebraska Council of School Administrators’ Legislative Committee, the Nebraska Council of School Administrators’ State Education Planning Committee and the Nebraska Department of Education’s Thought Leaders Committee.