Dan Albertsen has been involved in middle level education at the Watertown Middle School for the past 34 years.  He has been the principal at WMS since 1982.  Prior to his position as principal for  the MS he was assistant principal/team leader in Watertown, a counselor at Tri-Valley School, and an English teacher in Wessington Springs as his first job after graduation from Dakota Wesleyan University. 

Dan has been very active in professional organizations as he has served on the School Administrators of South Dakota Board, was the president of the South Dakota Association of Secondary Schools (SDASSP), was the president of South Dakota Association of Middle Level Educators (SDAMLE) in 2003-2004 and is currently serving as acting Executive Director of SDAMLE. He was chosen as the SDASSP¹s Healthy School Hero in 2002 as a leader in developing curriculum for healthy schools.  Dan was involved as a board member with the North Central Association from 1995 to 2003.

In addition to the involvement in professional organizations, Dan has served in leadership roles in the Watertown community too.  He has served as president of Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer and was the 1998-99 co-leader of the United Way campaign in Watertown.  He has served as a board member of the Human Service Agency in Watertown for the past nine years.

Dan and his wife Sandy have three children and six grandchildren.