As Nate Wragge walked into 1010 S 144th St for his first day of work, his heartbeat quickened and a cascade of goosebumps prickled along his arms. His back straightened. He was met with an eerie silence; there were no students yet. The staff greeted him with warm, friendly smiles. Immediately, Wragge felt right at home. He knew he had made the perfect decision by joining the Millard North family.

Moving to Omaha from Columbus, Nebraska, Wragge jump-started his teaching career by student-teaching at Millard South High School. There he became a math teacher, working in the classroom for 15 years and also coaching bowling and boys’ soccer.

“You go into education wanting to help students, to help them achieve their goals,” Wragge said. “I did summer school principal in 2021 and I wanted something more than I was doing. I wanted to help more kids, and I enjoyed it so [much] that it led me to this [assistant principal] role.”

Wragge is the 10th-grade assistant principal who oversees the Math and World Language departments. He is also in charge of staff development.

“That’s the beauty of this role [assistant principal], you never know,” Wragge said. “Every day is different, which I like. It makes the job interesting and you feel you’re helping.”

Being an assistant principal comes with its challenges though. The position can be unpredictable and tasks pile up quickly as many people at school depend on you.

“I don’t have something I don’t like because the people I work with are great. So if there is something not so fun, I’ve got great people to do it with me,” Wragge said.

Wragge shares that his primary goal is to make everyone in the building feel safe. Supporting students and staff as much as possible is his second, but equally important, goal.

“If kids and staff don’t feel safe, it’s hard to learn. It affects the learning environment negatively if you don’t have a safe environment,” Wragge said.

Wragge and his wife are high school sweethearts. Both attended the  University of Nebraska-Omaha and started a family of two daughters and a son together. The Wragge family enjoys hiking, biking, spending time outdoors, and supporting MN activities.

“I love to go to Millard North sporting events, and choir and orchestra [performances]. I love seeing what students do outside the classroom,” Wragge said.

Assistant Principal Matthew Starks works closely with Wragge. They both understand the challenges of transitioning to a leadership role.

“As an admin team, we can lean on each other because we all have different strengths and experiences,” Starks said.

Starks occasionally gives suggestions to Wragge. According to Starks, Wragge understands the importance of being visible, responsive, and empathetic as a building administrator.

“Taking on a leadership role in a new building can be difficult, but he [Wragge] has done an amazing job of transitioning,” Starks said.

Starks appreciates the time that Wragge takes to make connections with students and staff. He recognizes Wragge’s quick and efficient response to students’ needs and appreciates how he treats every student with empathy, respect, and care, no matter the situation.

“I deeply respect his [Wragge’s] work ethic and look forward to his contributions to our building for years to come,” Starks said.

Wragge makes sure to be present in the classroom by conducting lots of walk-throughs and giving valuable and tailored feedback to help the World Language and Math teachers grow.

“I enjoy having Mr. Wragge as the World Language supervisor… His door is always open in case you need help solving a behavior issue or finding strategies to improve student learning,” World Language Department Head Shaun Hoover said.

Wragge takes the time to chat with teachers during passing periods and asks if there is anything he can do to support both instructors and students.

“Whether you are a new teacher or a veteran teacher, he [Wragge] lets his presence be known,” Hoover said. “He compliments us [the World Language teachers] on the learning he saw going on.”

Wragge has left a remarkable impression on everyone who’s interacted with him. His evident dedication to Millard North undoubtedly marks the beginning of an exciting and memorable era for our school.