Two Rivers names new principal

Two Rivers High School names new principal Jessica Cabak
By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | June 2025

After seeing one more class of graduates cross the stage to receive their diplomas on June 1, Two Rivers Principal of four years Albert Johnson will leave the district to relocate to Texas to be closer to family. Many are sad to see him go. In his short tenure he earned the respect of school administrators, teachers, parents and students for his energetic, hands-on approach.

On July 1, Johnson’s first hire, Jessica Cabak – associate principal at Two Rivers – will assume leadership of the school. She has a doctorate in educational leadership from Bethel Univeristy and prior to joining Two Rivers spent 13 years at John Glenn Middle School in Maplewood, where she was a math teacher, instructional coach and dean of students. While teaching in Maplewood she was also an adjunct math instructor at Bethel. A native of Apple Valley, she lives in St. Paul. Megan Ahlberg, associate principal at Bloomington Jefferson High School, will succeed Cabak as associate principal at Two Rivers.

two rivers high school principal Jessica Cabak — Jessica Cabak

“Being a principal has always been something that’s been on my radar as I’ve continued learning and growing as a leader, but I wanted to make sure it was the right opportunity and the right fit,” said Cabak. “District 197 is a really special place, and I wanted to keep working in this district so when this opportunity came up it was perfect.”

Cabak was quick to praise Johnson’s service and leadership style and plans to maintain the status quo for some time before implementing any new goals of her own. She looks forward to using her instructional leadership skills to find more ways to support staff and students alike.

“It’s such a special community to be a part of and I’ve really, really enjoyed my time here and the connections I’ve been able to build,” said Cabak of her time in ISD 197. “I’m so fortunate and blessed to be able to stay here and continue growing as a leader and serving this community that really means a lot to me.”

Two Rivers, like many schools, is still working to increase the number of students meeting state standards in core subjects, following a dip in 2020 and 2021 due to distance learning during the pandemic. Overall, graduation rates and scores in all core subjects are still down from 2019. However, in 2024 Two Rivers earned a top 5% ranking in the U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools list, which compared 896 schools in Minnesota based on test scores, access to and participation in college-level learning, and other factors.

Stats from the Minnesota Department of Education show the percentage of students at Two Rivers meeting state standards before the pandemic versus today.

Graduation rate: 91% in 2019; 90% in 2024
Math: 47% in 2019; 39% in 2024
Reading: 53% in 2019; 47% in 2024
Science: 65% in 2019; 54% in 2024
The ISD 197 school board is expected to adopt its budget for the 2025-2026 school year by the end of June. Currently, the fund balance is 3% shy of the board’s goal, and the deficit is expected to grow if action isn’t taken. Minor budget reductions are planned for the next three years to close the gap. However, no changes are expected
to happen to attendance area boundaries, transportation fees or staffing ratios.

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