For the Sept. 21 program, Chaska Rotarian David Brecht introduced his successor and the new principal of Chaska High School, Jim Bach. Jim grew up in Richfield and graduated for high school in Richfield. His undergraduate study was at St. Cloud State and he received a Master’s degree from St. Mary’s University. He has called Chaska home for 15 years. His wife, Jennifer Shinn, is on the faculty at Clover Ridge Elementary. Their children are alumni or are attending CHS.
Jim’s teaching and coaching began at White Bear Lake and then moved on to Owatonna, Willow Creek, and Chaska Middle School East. Jim described the process that educated most of our club at the time with society’s expectation of college education followed by full-time employment with only one or two employers. The understatement of the day was “things are different now” or times have changed. His goal as an administrator is to prepare a new generation of students for their future by establishing a process of learning that assumes technology and society will create different environments and opportunities for success. Jim touched on the global competition within high school students around the world and the requirements for individualized learning, project-based and internship-activated enthusiasm. Thanks, Jim, for making some of us feel really, really old! At several intervals, Jim shared Chaska’s Friday night victory over Chanhassen 14-0. Yes, 14-0. Yes sir! 14-0. The Jug was returned to its rightful place!
