Kasia Heinert – Be the Change

A winding road brought Kasia Heinert to her position as teacher-principal at St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School in Oroville, CA. The journey started at Notre Dame Elementary (NDE) in Marysville, CA, where seven-year-old Kasia decided to teach when she grew up. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and her teaching credential at California State University, Sacramento, landed her first job at Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL) in Colusa and then returned to teach at NDE, the very school that had sparked her love of learning.

After declining enrollment closed NDE, Kasia co-created New Day Charter school, where she worked for a year. Until that point, Kasia had taught only combined classes, from Grades 4/5 to Grades 7/8. In 2010, she began teaching second grade at a public school. Despite the benefits of focusing on one grade, she missed being able to share her faith with her students.

Kasia’s search to reenter Catholic education led her to St. Thomas the Apostle School, where, to her delight, Father Roy Donor had become the school’s priest. She had worked under Father Roy at OLL and looked up to him as an encouraging father figure. Two years later, Father Roy asked Kasia to become the school principal. “I was hesitant at first because I absolutely loved being a classroom teacher,” says Kasia, “but I decided to take a leap of faith and give it a try.” Supported by her own father, who retired as a school district superintendent, and Father Roy, Kasia has now completed five years as principal at St. Thomas.

Bronwyn Eisermann, who has known Kasia since second grade, teaches the transitional kindergarten class at St. Thomas. Bronwyn describes Kasia as “the best principal I’ve worked for in 20 years of teaching.” Although their friendship might make Bronwyn biased, she backs up her opinion with good reason. “Leadership is natural for Kasia, but it doesn’t go to her head. She leads by doing, and she never gives us anything she wouldn’t do herself.” 

Perhaps one of the biggest examples of Kasia’s team-oriented leadership style occurred last year when a new hire backed out at the last minute. With no time to hire another teacher, Kasia simply took the Grades 5/6 combination class herself. “I have a fantastic, supportive staff,” says Kasia, “so I didn’t worry about it. It was nice. I had started to miss the classroom!” Kasia plans to continue her teacher-principal role in the 2018-2019 year to help ease in a new teacher.

Jaime Harvey, who met Kasia in 2003, says Kasia “always has a fantastic vision.” Last year, for example, Kasia helped coordinate a special project for the school’s eighth-grade students. As a way to give back to the community, the class landscaped the police and fire departments with blue and red rock. This well-received venture has inspired Kasia to incorporate a community project into the standard curriculum for eighth-grade at St. Thomas, teaching kids to make positive differences in their communities.

In her limited free time, Kasia volunteers with the St. Thomas parish, which shares its campus with the school. She has worked with the Catholic Ladies Relief Society to raise funds for people in poverty. In recent years, she has discovered an unexpected pleasure in CrossFit at Level 10 Cross Fit gym. “I never thought I would enjoy exercise, but I do,” she says with a laugh. Kasia loves traveling with friends and also visits family all over the United States. Yet no matter how far she roams, the North State draws her back. “When my roots get planted, they get planted deep,“ she says, “California is just me.”

With a jam-packed schedule, Kasia could easily focus exclusively on her to-do list. But instead, she makes time for people. “Her students are her children, and they know that,” says Bronwyn, noting Kasia’s thoughtful care also extends to parents and school staff. This humble attitude arises from Kasia’s perspective of herself as a team player, which helps her see the importance of encouraging those around her. “No gesture is too small,” says Kasia, “Anything can make a difference, even if it’s just a smile. You never know when you’re entertaining an angel.”

The mission of our be the change column is to feature community members from the north state who are actively making a difference in community life. If you would like to nominate someone who is making a difference, please write to pn@northstateparent.com.