Gomtolpios: Former Prairie assistant principal hired as new WMS principal

WORTHINGTON — District 518 has chosen a familiar face as the new principal of Worthington Middle School: Toni Baartman served as assistant principal at Prairie Elementary before taking her current position as K-4 principal at Pipestone Area Schools,

The two open assistant principal positions for the district have also been filled.

Doug Brands, currently the principal at the Learning Center, VIBE, EDGE/Targeted Services for the district, will be the new assistant principal at Worthington High School.

Casey Hertz, currently a science teacher and coach at Worthington Middle School, will be the assistant principal at WMS.

They will begin their new positions this summer, said Anne Foley, public relations coordinator for the district.

"We are excited to have a great team being put into place that have many talents and backgrounds," she said.

Eight candidates were interviewed for the positions last week.

Baartman graduated from Adrian Public Schools and earned a degree in physical education and health education from Southwest Minnesota State University. She earned her master's degree from Southwest Minnesota State University and her education administration licensure from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Baartman's experience includes teaching physical education at Hill Elementary School from 2008 to 2011, followed by her stint as assistant principal at Prairie from 2022 to 2016. Since 2016 she has been serving as principal of Pipestone Area Schools Elementary (K-4).

Brands graduated from Worthington High School, and earned a degree at the University of Sioux Falls in math education in 1998. He earned his master's degree at Southwest Minnesota State University and his education administration licensure from St. Mary's University of Minnesota.

He taught math in Milaca from 1999 to 2002 and at Worthington High School from 2002 to 2018.

Hertz is a graduate of Sibley-Ocheyedan Public Schools, in Iowa. He received a degree in biology education from Southwest Minnesota State University, where he also played football. He earned a master's degree from the University of Illinois and an education administration licensure from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

He taught biology at Cedar Mountain Schools, Morgan, from 2016 to 2017, and since then has taught science and coached a variety of sports at WMS.