Wipplinger already feels at home

Malta Elementary School opened a new chapter this summer as the school welcomed former Red Lodge Public Schools teacher Cadence Wipplinger as its new principal on August 6, after signing her contract earlier in the year.

Wipplinger, who was born and raised in Absarokee, fills the spot vacated by Tad Schye who was principal to Malta Elementary School since 1996, as well as a teacher and coach for Malta Public Schools since 1989.

"After meeting her and spending time with her, I believe that she has a good vision and she is concerned about the students of Malta and it will be a great transition," Schye said about Wipplinger. "Things are going to change obviously because they always do but I believe (the community of Malta Elementary School) is in good hands."

Not alone in her relocation from Red Lodge, Wipplinger is also welcomed to Malta with her husband Skyler Wipplinger and their sons Grey (age seven) and Hawk (age two). Skylar is a Roberts native, who works as a horse trainer and farrier.

Having been in office for the past two weeks, Wipplinger shared what it was like working for the school.

"I feel things are going really, really well," Wipplinger said. "Even though it is a new school and a new community, I already feel like I have been here for a long time. I don't know how to explain that but I feel very comfortable here."

Though she is the new principal, parents shouldn't expect a major shakeup as far as the mode of operations goes.

"At this point right now, I want to get a good feel for the community and the school and get to know people," she said. "I really just like the direction that they are in. As time goes on, we can make changes if we feel that's what we want to do as a school but right now I want to get to know the staff, the parents and the students."

To help learn the ropes of how things went under the direction of former Principal Schye, Wipplinger came up to Malta for a few days.

"He showed me around and showed me what he had been doing for the last 12 years," Wipplinger said. "He is such a kind person and just from the short time that I was around him, he gave me lots of good input but he also left a lot of room for me to take my own point of view on things."

Wipplinger has appreciated how the community has accepted her and her family so far.

"Every experience that I have had so far with the administration and all of the staff and community has been really good."

Being from a community similar in size to Malta, Wipplinger can relate to former and current students of Malta Public Schools, having participated in sports, clubs and the local 4-H program in Absarokee.

"Basketball was definitely my passion," Wipplinger said. "I have played basketball and I have coached it."

Wipplinger went on to say that she was the head coach of Red Lodge's basketball team, as well as an assistant coach in volleyball and track for ages ranging from varsity to fifth grade.

Though she has had coaching experience, Wipplinger has no aspirations to pursue a coaching career in the future.

"Right now I really want to focus on doing a good job as an administrator," Wipplinger said.

Though she has taught for the past 11 years in Red Lodge as a middle school Language Arts teacher, she has been teaching for the past 13 years, spending the first two years at Plenty Coups High School in Pryor. Wipplinger attended Miles City Community College and finished at Montana State University Billings (MSUB) to earn a Bachelors Degree in Elementary in 2004. She received her Master's Degree in Administration in 2015 from Rocky Mountain College.

During her free time, Wipplinger really enjoys spending time with her family.

"My husband and I really enjoy music, so we go to a lot of concerts and we also have horses and go to the ranch to spend time there," Wipplinger said.