Birch moves into Summerland principal role

Jacob Birch will serve as junior/senior high principal, beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. The announcement was made Tuesday, April 2, after Summerland Public School faculty were notified of his hiring. Candidates for the position went through the interview process last week, according to school officials.

The board of education will approve the offer when they meet April 15.

Birch, a Burwell native, received his undergraduate degree in mathematics education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

He spent the 2016-2017 school year at Boone Central High School in Albion and joined the Clearwater Public School staff in 2017. Birch also spent a year in the Boyd County district before returning to Summerland in 2020.

Via an email interview with SAM on Tuesday, Birch said throughout his career, he has enjoyed teaching and coaching and, especially, working with "tremendous people," including staff, students and all community members in the districts he has served.

"What led me towards an administrative degree was several great administrators, coaches and leaders who I have had the privilege of knowing and working with in my life," Birch said.

As he began working on a graduate degree in administration, he enjoyed learning more about various aspects of school districts, leadership and education.

"I am very excited to have the opportunity to serve the students, staff and community members of the Summerland district in a new role," he said.

Birch's wife, Danielle, also teaches mathematics at SPS.

The couple has two children, Brooklyn and Nora. The family resides in O'Neill.