Lady Hurricane

Kasie Windfelder: A force of nature

By Cynthia Reeves / Photos by Kate Treick Photography

Adjectives to describe a hurricane are familiar to most of us along the Gulf Coast: powerful, strong and mighty are just a few. Those words can also be used to describe 42-year-old educator, wife and mother Kasie Windfelder.

Windfelder has been named the principal of the new Soundside High School in South Santa Rosa County, which opens to students on August 10. The new school’s mascot is the Hurricanes — a fitting image for a woman whose 20-year career has been intense and, in some ways, unpredictable.

Ironically, Windfelder grew up on a family farm in North Dakota and never imagined she would end up in Florida leading a brand-new $110 million school.

A former family friend and neighbor, David Noles, invited her to Navarre back in 2006 to work with him as assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach at Navarre High School. Windfelder, a basketball player herself, took the offer from the school district and has made Florida her home ever since.

Mighty Career

After coaching and teaching at Navarre, Windfelder spent a couple of years at the prestigious Westshore Junior and Senior High School in Melbourne, Fla. She returned to Navarre in 2010 as the girls’ basketball coach. She completed her master’s degree in educational leadership and was named assistant principal at Holley Navarre Primary School in 2014. She then bounced back to Navarre High School as assistant principal of guidance in 2016 and finally took the helm as principal in 2020.

Since then, accolades have followed. In 2023, Windfelder was honored to be one of three finalists statewide for Florida Principal of the Year. That same year, The Navarre Beach Chamber of Commerce selected her as Citizen of the Year. In 2024, she earned the title of Florida Innovative Principal of the Year. Governor Ron DeSantis and the first lady also honored her as one of 75 Florida Hero recipients alongside outstanding first responders, nonprofit leaders and business owners.

Windfelder attributes her success to the way she was raised — her Midwestern farm roots. Her dad was a hard-working farmer, her mom a university registrar and her twin sister and little brother all had “a very, very, high-caliber work ethic.”

She sees herself driven by positive energy, and unlike the chaos of a hurricane, she focuses on being calm and kind. Friendly and loving is how she believes most colleagues and students would describe her.

“I think that kids would say that I always have a smile on my face. I would say that I’m pretty diplomatic in how I try to handle situations. I like to pause and think, and I don’t like to knee-jerk.”

Powerful Leadership

Windfelder believes her superpower has to do with being a leader that can assimilate to whatever is going on around her — targeting whatever a person needs.

“I don’t lead with fear or in an authoritative manner. That’s not really my vibe at all. My vibe is kindness and teamwork and, of course, holding people accountable when I need to, but doing it in a loving way.”

She is the kind of mentor who is approachable to students. She gives out hugs and watches out for both big and small needs.

“I tell them, ‘Hey, come get a soda or water out of my fridge if you need something or you forgot money for the vending machine today...’”

She sets an alarm on her phone every morning to leave her office and mingle with students and faculty in the hallways.

New Challenges

The new position at the 25,000-square-foot, three-level high school comes with a set of challenges that Windfelder hasn’t faced in her career. She’s blending students from two rival schools —Navarre and Gulf Breeze — from the 32563 and 32566 zip codes.

The first year, there will be approximately 600 ninth and 10th graders and 40 to 50 teachers. Eventually, the enrollment will increase to about 1,800 students in grades nine through 12.

The numbers are a moving target because students can enroll based on school choice and open enrollment opportunities. For example, some students may decide to stay at their home schools if they play varsity sports since those won’t be offered the first year.

Despite uncertainties, Windfelder believes the Midway community is ready for the new school, and she believes she’s ready for the new role despite leaving her beloved Navarre Raiders.

“I think not only will it help me grow, but it will just continue to stretch me and to make me better. I knew that there was a bigger calling for me that I could help with, and that could be part of my journey.”

Orientation

In the summer, before the first day back to school, there will be opportunities for the community to see the new school, gymnasium and field house. The student government will host a student orientation for both ninth and 10th graders before the first day of school on August 10.

In the meantime, Windfelder encourages everyone interested in the new school to follow her posts on social media — both Facebook and Instagram. There are answers to frequently asked questions and news updates.

She knows from her days on the basketball court that there will be times when someone “drops the ball,” but as a leader, she is ready to scramble and help Soundside High School reach its full potential.