Thornapple Kellogg — New to his role as Thornapple Kellogg Middle School’s assistant principal, Danny Thompson is far from new to the district.
He is a third-generation Trojan and is currently raising a fourth, alongside his wife and fellow TKHS graduate Sarah.
“When I taught at the high school (in 2017), there were eight of us teachers who all went to school (at THKS) within two years of each other,” Thompson said. “A lot went out of state for college and we made our way back. It’s like a big high school reunion around here.”
Throughout every step of his education journey, Thompson said he has maintained his passion for two things: history and football.
“Teaching in a classroom is like coaching football. If you do it long enough, you start to wonder if you can run a whole team by yourself,” he said. “I thought, ‘I can make a change, empower teachers and help set them up for success.’”
Get to know TKMS’ new assistant principal in this edition of Meet Your Administrators:
Other positions you have held in education:
- AP World History and World History teacher at St. Cloud High School, St. Cloud, Florida
- World History teacher at Thornapple Kellogg High School
- History teacher at Lakeshore High School, Stevensville
- Dean of students at Lakeshore High School
Education/degrees:
- Bachelor’s degree in history, Olivet College
- Currently working to complete the School Administrators Certification in educational leadership and administration from Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals
What drew you back to the Thornapple Kellogg district? Post-graduation, Thompson said teaching jobs in Michigan were hard to find. Moving down to St. Cloud, Florida allowed him to pursue his dream of teaching and coaching high school football. He said he greatly enjoyed his time out-of-state, creating long-lasting friendships and gaining professional experience, but eventually the Thompson family felt called back home.
“I’m looking forward to giving back to the community that gave so much to me, but in a different role. As a teacher, you can only do so much in the classroom. There are a lot of great things happening here and I get to move forward with new experiences from Florida, mixed with the foundation of where I grew up.”
What would you like to share about your family? Thompson was born and raised in Middleville, where his mother also went to school. Before graduating from TKHS in 2005, Thompson began dating his best friend Sarah, and the two high school sweethearts eventually got married. Shortly after welcoming their son, Lincoln, into the family while living in Florida, the Thompsons decided it was time to move back home to Middleville, where they now live and work. Lincoln is in third grade at Lee Elementary, just down the street from the middle school.
What were you like when you were in middle school? “Growing up, I was an ‘A’ student in history and PE. In every other class, I was a ‘30-minute bathroom student,’ as my teachers referred to me.”
Thompson said his teachers filled the roles of father figures in his life and inspired him to want to impact the lives of others.
“The guidance from the TK staff and coaches helped build the foundation for my successful teaching career. It is my hope to put my stamp on the next generation of TK grads.”
Describe your leadership style: “I would describe myself as an empathetic leader. As I go through it, I try to focus on the ‘big picture’ and put myself in staffs’ shoes. I’m huge on culture. Education is a hard career to be in and I want to be in a place where we make a difference. How can I try to get that light back (for teachers) or make sure we don’t turn off lights at all. I love it so much, I signed up for 30 more years of school.”
What are some of your hobbies? When Thompson is not coaching TK varsity football or his son’s flag football team, he is watching it at home, cheering on the San Francisco 49ers and the University of Michigan. He also enjoys fishing with his friends on local lakes or playing golf — both ways he finds peace and quiet to unwind. A history buff, Thomspon enjoys listening to history-themed podcasts, like “Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers.”
Read more from Thornapple Kellogg:
• ‘Transformative leadership’ her goal as new principal
• Building skills that last, from STEM into everything else
