By Julie Slama | [email protected]

One thing that Golden Harvest students won’t need to learn with their new principal is his name.

Nick Hansen welcomed students back to Golden Fields Elementary replacing his retired predecessor, Kyle Hansen.

“I just follow him around from school to school, so they don’t even need to change the nameplate,” Nick Hansen said with a laugh. “One student said it was good to see me again, although I didn’t quite look the same.”

Like Kyle Hansen, who was Golden Field’s first principal, Nick Hansen also was an administrator at Foothills Elementary in Herriman. 

Nick Hansen also was Butterfield Canyon’s principal for five years, worked as a culture and climate specialist at Heartland Elementary, and taught at Sprucewood (Sandy), Oak Hollow (Draper) and Butterfield Canyon elementary school. The last two years, he worked hiring principals and ensuring teacher licenses as a Jordan School District human resources administrator. 

“I love teaching; I love administration; I love the kids,” he said. “I’m excited to be in the South Jordan community. I’m already sharing cheesy jokes on the weekly announcements and getting letters and cards from the students.”

Current Principal Hansen said his vision for the school is simple: “Take the great things already happening and keep them growing.”

Through the regular rotations of art, music and library, he supports the STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — education with both computers and introducing the Rozzy Learning Center curriculum that includes lesson plans, science journals, vocabulary cards, activity books and more STEM-based learning.

Students also are able to jump online at school or home to improve their reading through Lexia, he said about the digital reading company that provides core elementary instruction and power-up coaching for struggling sixth graders.

“There are learning activities that target the areas students may need help in which will help them to advance in their skills,” he said. “We will focus on quality instruction and providing good academic intervention.”

Nick Hansen has been a teacher of the year as well as the rookie administrator of the year. He earned his bachelor’s in elementary education from Brigham Young University and his master’s in administrative leadership from the University of Utah.

“I’m not a die-hard fan of either team, but I have always been a Cougar fan growing up,” he said, admitting his new puppy’s middle name is Jimmer, after former BYU basketball star Jimmer Fredette.

Nick Hansen, who is a former high school football, basketball and track athlete and has run marathons in both St. George and Ogden, doesn’t plan to take a backseat as a principal. He is wanting to “be out with the kids” whether it’s catching the football, playing basketball, hopscotch or foursquare. He also has been known to participate in the American Heart Association’s Jump-for-Heart fundraiser.

“I’m here to do whatever it takes to help kids learn and achieve,” he said.

True to his word, Nick Hansen has worn a ninja costume to celebrate students’ success in math and has been duct taped to a school wall when they met their goal with a food drive. He also has been knighted — in a knighting ceremony of the multiplication tables.

“Teachers come up some creative ideas to help students learn and make it fun; it’s all part of getting students excited about what they’re learning,” he said.

Nick Hansen, or Sir Hansen, said he is a “Disney junkie” as he often visited Disneyland growing up, riding on Peter Pan’s Flight, his favorite ride. He has been known to dress up as Woody of “Toy Story” and his favorite Disney movie is “Hercules.”

However, he also liked to read. Among his favorite is the Michael Vey series, “False Prince” by Jennifer Nielsen and “Once Upon a Marigold,” by Jean Ferris. He also read books that his previous school used in “Battle of the Books.”

“I was reading the books alongside the students,” he said. “It’s exciting to see them embrace reading and be motivated about it. I love when kids get excited about learning.”