Funk starts first year as Saco Superintendent

“You have to love your job and I love this job and this district so it makes it fun to come to work every day,” Saco Public School Superintendent Tanya Funk told the PCN.

As a native of Saco, Supt. Funk has more experience at Saco Public Schools than anyone in the school’s history having attended the school from Kindergarten to her high school graduation in 1989. Supt. Funk has also taught at Saco School for 27 years. This year marks the start of year 28 and Supt. Funk’s first year as Superintendent.

“I have spent the majority of my life in this building,” said Supt. Funk, who was hired as Superintendent on Monday, July 29.

After she graduated from MSU-Northern with an Elementary Education degree in 1992, she started working for Saco Public Schools that Fall as a Fourth Grade Teacher, a position she would hold for three years. Next she would teach junior high. She earned her Master’s Degree in Education from MSU-Northern in 1999. She earned her K-12 Principal’s Endorsement in 2006.

In addition to teaching, Supt. Funk has also had over twenty years of experience as an Assistant Administrator under five different Superintendents including Wade Sundby, who recently took on the role as Superintendent at Glasgow High School. Prior to Sundby, Supt. Funk was assistant under Gordon Hahn, Glen Monson, Joe Barbero, and Sandy Stelflug.

“I have learned a lot from all of them, which made moving into this position a little easier,” Supt. Funk said. “I am using that to try to help me in this job now.”

Supt. Funk and O.D., her husband of 29 years, had the opportunity to put her children Justin (class of 2015) and Bailey (class of 2018) through Saco’s school system. During their early years, Supt. Funk worked part time at the school.

“I was able to watch them grow in this building from kindergarten all the way to graduation,” Supt. Funk said. “It was fun to be in the same building as my kids.”

As a first time Superintendent, Supt. Funk hopes to establish a key aspect of education with all who are associated with the school on a daily basis.

“My number one goal for this year is communication with our students, staff, with our parents, and with our community,” Supt. Funk said. “Just getting information out to them so they are aware of what’s going on with our building. This includes being responsible to our tax payers with their dollars.”

Being from the area, Supt. Funk understands that financial responsibility is key to the school and the community’s success.

“I know times are tough in the agricultural world and I take very seriously the fact that those people pay tax money to support us, and we have to be fiscally responsible to them.”

Supt. Funk also mentioned that she wanted to continue the school’s tradition of excellence and hopes to keep the district moving in a positive direction.

“I feel I have some big shoes to fill with previous superintendents that we have had,” Supt. Funk said.

Supt. Funk’s tenure started with only two weeks to prepare for the 2019-20 year, but she handled things in stride.

“Being hired with two weeks to go before the school year started was literally like drinking from a fire hose,” Supt. Funk said. “And even though I had been here for 27 years it was a matter of prioritizing what had to be done to get things ready for the teachers and the students. I didn’t have time to think too much. I just had to jump in and sink or swim.”

Supt. Funk gave credit to her staff for a smooth transition.

“We have a phenomenal staff,” Supt. Funk said. “They are extremely supportive and within a couple of days of our staff learning about this change, numerous staff members came by and asked what they could do to help. So, our phenomenal staff from our bus drivers to the custodial help, kitchen help, office help through our teachers; everybody has been so supportive and helpful and that makes my job so much easier.”