Marathon’s new principal settles in role
Wienke says his first year will be spent listening
After returning from his service in the Coast Guard, Max Wienke pursued an education degree. He can’t exactly pinpoint why; it was simply that he couldn’t see himself doing anything else as a career.
Wienke, who is now the new principal of Marathon Area Elementary School and Marathon Venture Academy, grew up in Spencer, a small town not far from Marathon City. After high school, he enlisted in the Coast Guard and was sent to Michigan where he worked within a border unit on Lake Huron.
Before starting as the MAES/MVA principal on July 1, Wienke was working as a third grade teacher in the Winneconne Community School District. He stepped into that role six years ago after serving as a resource teacher in the district out of college. Wienke said his goal was always to become an administrator eventually.
Wienke feels lucky to have landed in Marathon, with the appeal of returning to small town life and being closer to family playing a role in his arrival. While Winneconne itself is a community of only about 2,300 people, the school district there has approximately 1,775 students. One of the big changes for Wienke will be going from an elementary building of almost 900 students to Marathon’s K-8 building of around 500 students.
Despite the size differences, Wienke said there are similarities between the two. According to Wienke, both Marathon and Winneconne are “destination districts,” meaning that many families from neighboring communities open enroll their students into the districts. Another correlation Wienke has made between the two is that both are willing to “push the envelope on new things.” He cited Marathon’s participation in the expeditionary learning model at MVA as one example.
Wienke’s participation in the Coast Guard as well as his recent tenure as a teacher will help shape his role as a principal. While on active duty, he served as a response boat driver and a law enforcement officer. Those experiences have allowed him to gain the skills of decision making in stressful situations and understanding other perspectives.
As for having experienced education through the “teacher lens,” Wienke said those years spent as an educator will keep him grounded in his new position.
“From a principal level, you have to look at the whole school, choose a direction and think about what you’re asking people to do,” Wienke said. “Having just been a teacher and still having that lens, it makes you a little more conscious of what you are asking people to do and how much work you are asking them to do. And if there would be a change, what will that be like for them in the classroom?”
Wienke said his first year in Marathon will be spent “taking the temperature” of the school and community. He’s looking forward to doing a lot of listening and getting a feel for how the curriculum is being used.
The new principal said he has appre-ciated the welcoming nature of both the school district and community as he and his family get settled. Wienke, his wife and their 14-month-old daughter recently moved into their new house in Marathon. In their free time, the family stays active by walking a lot together. Wienke’s main hobby is motorcycle riding. He has enjoyed many long-distance trips with his father. Still on active reserve duty for the Coast Guard, some of Wienke’s time is also committed to that service.
