By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Theodore Simonelli’s career in education has taken him a long way from where it began.
From West Michigan to Hawai‘i, Oklahoma and Chicago, Simonelli has worked with students in a variety of roles and settings.
Now, that journey has brought him to Plainwell Community Schools as the new principal at Starr Elementary.
“I have already been impressed by how much Starr’s staff, families and community care about the school and its students,” Simonelli said. “I am looking forward to getting to know them, becoming part of the Plainwell community and building on the work already happening at Starr.”
A Portage native and graduate of Portage Public Schools, Simonelli had lived in Michigan his entire life before college.
That began to change when he joined the honors program at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
“Joining the honors program at Kalamazoo Valley Community College encouraged me to think beyond Michigan and consider opportunities I had not previously imagined for myself,” he said.
That led Simonelli to what he called an “education vacation” in Hawai‘i, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Hawai‘i Pacific University.
The degree was designed to prepare graduates to teach internationally. Simonelli, however, decided he wanted to gain some teaching experience first and joined Teach For America.
That decision took him to Tulsa, Okla., where he taught middle school language arts and math while earning master’s degrees in Teaching, Learning and Leadership and School Counseling.
Simonelli later moved to Chicago to be closer to family, working in a variety of teaching and counseling positions with students from preschool through 12th grade.
“Working in those different roles helped me understand schools from both the instructional and student-support sides,” he said.
Both perspectives continue to shape his approach to education.
Teaching, Simonelli said, showed him the importance of strong instruction, classroom management and clearly defined expectations. It also gave him an understanding of the daily demands teachers face.
His experience as a school counselor provided another perspective as he worked with students facing academic, behavioral or emotional challenges, along with their teachers and families.
“That experience reinforced my belief that accountability and support should work together,” Simonelli said. “As a principal, I want to remain connected to what is happening in classrooms and be available when students, staff or families need help.”
After working in three large school systems, Simonelli was intrigued by the opportunity to return to West Michigan and work in a smaller district.
And he first learned about that opportunity from someone already familiar with Plainwell Community Schools.
“My cousin, who graduated from Plainwell Schools and now works for the district, encouraged me to apply for the position at Starr,” Simonelli said. “She spoke with a great deal of pride about the district, and I heard that same sense of pride from others throughout the interview process.”
The size of the district also appealed to him.
“A smaller district gives me the chance to really know the students, families and staff I serve and to work directly with the other principals and district leaders,” Simonelli said.
At Starr, Simonelli sees an opportunity to combine the different aspects of his professional background, including instruction, counseling, student behavior and family support.
As he begins his first year, however, he doesn’t plan to arrive with a predetermined list of changes.
Instead, he wants to start by listening.
“Because I am new to Starr, one of my first priorities is to listen and learn,” Simonelli said. “I want to understand what students, staff and families value about the school, what is already working well and where they believe we can improve.”
Strengthening the connection between school and home will also be a priority.
Simonelli wants families to receive meaningful information about what their children are learning and how they are progressing—not simply hear from the school when something goes wrong.
“Parents are their children’s first teachers, and they play an essential role in their children’s success,” he said. “Schools need to make it easier for families to understand what their children are learning, how they are progressing and what they can do at home to support that learning.”
Simonelli also believes expectations for students should be clear and consistent throughout the building, whether students are in the classroom, hallway, cafeteria or on the playground.
At the same time, students who are struggling should receive the support they need as early as possible.
“Ultimately, my goal is for every student to make meaningful academic progress while feeling safe, supported and excited to come to school,” he said.
Simonelli won’t be alone as he works toward that goal.
Joining him at Starr is Coco, his six-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog who serves as a school therapy dog.
Simonelli has had Coco since she was a puppy and got her specifically with the intention that she would eventually work alongside him in his role as a school counselor.
Many Starr students have already had the opportunity to meet her.
“They love having her around,” Simonelli said. “She can help students calm down when they are upset, but she can also help them feel more comfortable and confident when they need to talk with an adult.”
Coco has also listened as students read to her, something Simonelli said can make reading less intimidating and more enjoyable.
“I hope she will be another source of comfort, encouragement and connection for both students and staff at Starr,” he said.
While Simonelli’s professional journey has taken him across the country, his latest role also carries some additional significance because of his family’s ties to education in West Michigan.
His grandfather was a principal in Portage, while his grandmother taught in Mattawan.
“Education has deep roots in my family,” Simonelli said. “So returning to West Michigan as an elementary principal is especially meaningful to me.”
Now, he is looking forward to putting down roots of his own at Starr.
“I want students to enjoy coming to school, families to feel welcome and involved, and staff to know that their experience and ideas matter,” Simonelli said.
