Kany Seck, Ph.D., is the administrative dean of students at Normandale Elementary School. Photos: Kany Seck
A teacher shares her epic journey of learning, leadership and global perspective.
When Kany Seck first arrived in Minnesota in 1999, she carried a heavy suitcase, a newly completed master’s degree and a deep belief in the power of education. What she could not yet know was how profoundly that journey—from Dakar, Senegal, to Edina—would shape her life and the lives of countless students at Normandale Elementary French Immersion School.
Today, Seck serves as administrative dean of students at Normandale, where she works with students, staff and families to support learning, build community and nurture the school’s globally focused mission. Her path to educational leadership, however, began long before she stepped onto an American campus.
Seck was born and raised in a family where education was deeply valued—even though opportunities had not always been available to earlier generations. “My mom left school after a couple of years; at the time, it was not a priority for girls to go to school,” she says. “She is one of the most intelligent people I know, and the lack of early academic exposure limited her possibilities.” Her father never attended formal school but taught himself many skills as an autodidact. Despite their own limited schooling, Seck’s parents ensured their children had access to education.
Seck radiates kindness and care and believes in nurturing all students.
In Senegal’s competitive school system, where students were publicly ranked by their grades, Seck set high expectations for herself. “I made it a rule to be ranked first in my classes,” she says.
That determination carried her through college, where she studied English and American studies. Out of a freshman cohort of 2,500 students, Seck ultimately became the only woman among seven graduates to earn a master’s degree in her program.
Teaching came naturally long before she formally chose it as a career. As a student, she often found herself reteaching lessons to classmates and tutoring others. “I started teaching so early that I feel like education chose me,” she says. After college, she taught English in a neighborhood school while exploring opportunities to continue her academic journey. Her university’s partnership with United States-based language programs eventually opened the door.
Through the Amity Institute, which connects international students with language immersion programs in the U.S., Seck applied for an internship at Normandale Elementary, where she would serve as a teaching assistant. Six months later, she received the call that would change her life—an invitation to be an intern. “Four months later, I packed a heavy suitcase and headed to Minnesota,” she says. The transition was significant, but Seck remembers being welcomed warmly. “The place was cold and the people were warm,” she says. Normandale arranged host families who helped her adjust to life in the U.S.
After one year as an intern, she was offered a position as a fourth-grade teacher. However, her Senegalese master’s degree was deemed equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. Determined to continue growing professionally, she enrolled in a master’s program at the University of St. Thomas.
Seck and students play Scrabble on a whiteboard.
Those early years were demanding. Seck would teach until late afternoon, attend graduate classes until 10 p.m. and spend Saturdays preparing lessons. Her dedication continued even as her family grew. After marrying her husband, Mamour Fall, in 2009, she began a doctoral program at Bethel University and graduated in 2018 while raising three children.
Today, Seck’s leadership is felt throughout Normandale Elementary. As administrative dean of students, she works closely with district leaders, staff and students, focusing on both academic success and social growth. “I love being the dean at Normandale,” she says. “My philosophy is that there is fresh learning in every interaction and in every situation.”
Principal Chris Holden says Seck’s leadership style is defined by curiosity and collaboration. “Kany works equally well with students and adults,” he says. “She approaches her work with a sense of curiosity versus judgment.” Seck’s presence also enriches the school’s global perspective. “From her dress to the stories she shares, students see that her French journey is different,” Holden says.
Sharon Norlander, a former Normandale teacher who helped recruit interns, calls Seck “a real gem” for the school, noting that it has become increasingly difficult to find intern candidates with ties to French-speaking countries.
Seck with her husband Mamour (left), her host dad and her daughter, Aisha.
Beyond language learning, Seck is known for building strong relationships and guiding students through challenges with empathy and creativity.
“She has an incredible capacity for listening to others and for being a problem solver,” says Charlotte Taubel, Normandale’s intern director.
Seck is also the only person at Normandale who has experienced the school as an intern, teacher, administrator and parent. That perspective shapes everything she does. “The children and their growth are my number one priority,” she says. “A positive impact on the children will naturally spread to families and the community.”
Looking back on her journey, Seck remains grateful for the support she has received along the way. “I have experienced a journey of exponential growth at Normandale,” she says. “I am profoundly grateful for the support from my families, my mentors and the Edina community every step of the way. Merci beaucoup.”
