When Wessington Springs School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Ormsmith announced earlier this year that he would be relocating to Tennessee, the district was faced with an important decision about the leadership vacancy. Rather than bringing in an outside interim administrator, the school board turned to someone already deeply rooted in the district: Middle/High School Principal Jason Kolousek.
Kolousek, who has served in the district for 21 years, said the conversation began when school board president Dustin Weber approached him about possible solutions.
“He asked about different options, including trying to hire an interim superintendent from outside to come in and help,” Kolousek said. “One of the options was myself doing the interim part to finish the school year. That led to a discussion with the board; how that would look and if it would work. And then everyone was in agreement: let’s try it.”
Under his amended contract, Kolousek will serve as interim superintendent through June 30, 2026, while continuing in his role as middle/high school principal. To help balance the workload, the school board approved stipends for several staff members who will assume selected principal duties.
“It’s definitely a team effort,” Kolousek said. “We have a really good staff that can handle a number of things. That makes this possible.”
Kolousek also plans to begin superintendent certification coursework at the University of Sioux Falls next June, a program he expects to complete by spring of 2028.
Above all, Kolousek said he wants families and community members to know that he remains fully accessible.
“Reach out to me,” he said. “If they have any questions, any concerns, if they want information, they can contact me and I can give them the information or point them in the right direction. I encourage parents and the school community at large to reach out, even with concerns.”
Kolousek said transparency will remain a priority. In February or March, he and the board will assess how the dual-role model is working and determine whether adjustments or a superintendent search will be needed moving forward.
“We’ve been pretty open about this,” he said. “We’ll decide if we want to continue this, or if I need to choose one of the roles. We’ll just look at our options.”
Even as he takes on districtwide responsibilities, Kolousek stressed that he remains devoted to his daily work with students, something he says he’s not willing to sacrifice.
“The principal part is still a very important part of my job,” he said. “I want to keep that connection with the students and still be very hands-on as a principal.”
Kolousek said he feels confident stepping into the expanded role thanks to strong support systems: the school board, solid relationships with colleagues in other districts who also serve in dual positions, and the community he has served for more than two decades.
“It’s a good situation to step into,” he said. “We have good students, good staff, and good parents to work with.”
Kolousek also expressed appreciation for outgoing superintendent Dr. Ormsmith. “I am grateful for Dr. Ormsmith. He has helped in this transition, and he’s taught me a lot of things I’m going to need to know.”
As part of his commitment to transparency, Kolousek will begin writing a monthly column for the True Dakotan, highlighting district news, student accomplishments, and updates from across the school system.
“My goal is open communication,” he said. “We encourage people to come with questions and to voice concerns. When we work together and communicate, it benefits all of our students.”