 |
|
Featured Principals: July 2024
.png)
How and why did you become a principal? The short story is I believe to my core that unless we have 100% of our students proficient, we can always do better! The longer story is that during my earliest years in the classroom I had tremendous support from my first principal and superintendent to innovate to improve student achievement. As a 4th year teacher I was fortunate to participate in the Bush Educator's Program with 29 principals and superintendents from around the state and I realized I love school improvement and program development. Impacting school improvement efforts as a teacher was possible, however it is way more fun and effective as a principal! What are you most proud of in your work? I am most proud of the amazing staff, parents and community members who have worked tirelessly and passionately to build an internationally recognized environmental school over the past 20 years. I was hired to transition Garlough from a neighborhood school with declining enrollment into an environmental magnet school. All stakeholders learned to work together and work through a number of barriers which allowed us to gain momentum quickly. In our early years we were named #1 new and emerging magnet school in the country for three years in a row. We hosted international delegations of educators from Norway and Germany in addition to all 48 participants selected to participate in the inaugural year of the U.S. Japanese Fulbright Exchange Program for Educational Sustainable Development. Due to the passion and efforts of Garlough staff and community members over the years, we have received hundreds of thousands of dollars of grant funding, doubled our enrollment, lost our racially identifiable status, learned a ton, built deep lasting relationships and have had so much fun! As the principal at GEMS I have been able to live my dream of developing a thriving educational community connecting students with nature and animals. Garlough Environmental Magnet School is such a unique and vibrant place to work I wouldn't want to be anywhere else! Just like our school song states, "There's no other place like Garlough." What's something that had success in your school that you think other principals could borrow? I read every student report card and then add personalized notes every grading period. I make sure each student gets 2 notes during the school year highlighting a specific success or effort I notice on their report card. Beginning 2nd quarter, in addition to the regular note, I add a BUG CLUB award for students who have made significant growth in some area. This stands for Bringing Up your Grades. The certificate has a silly or gross bug glued to it. Parents and students appreciate the personal touch and it is something I hear about at every graduation party I attend. | What are some strategies you use to keep your work and life balanced? I get up at 4am and workout every.single.day and make it a priority to go to bed at 8pm (except when we have conferences and PTO meetings.) I also meal plan and prepare all my food for the week...while I may not actually have time to eat during the day, once students leave I have a healthy meal to eat. I've begun leaving my computer at school during the week and recharge in the woods on the weekends. What piece of advice would you give a new principal OR what piece of advice have you gotten that has been most useful? Find your people! You will need a confidant (or 2 or 3) to process the things you experience in this position. Keep laughing everyday, even if it is just by yourself, about yourself! How many years have you been a principal? 22 years |
.png)
How and why did you become a principal? My faith is integral to who I am, shaping my values and guiding my actions throughout my career in education. For eight years, I taught 4th and 5th grade in Omaha Public Schools (1 year) and South St. Paul Public Schools (7 years), where I developed a deep passion for education and fostering a positive learning environment for each and every student. In 2019, I graduated with my Educational Specialist (EdS) degree from Concordia University-St. Paul. My first year as a principal proved to be trial-by-fire as it was the year of the pandemic. This experience tested my resilience and adaptability, as we sought innovative ways to support our rural community. I became a principal because I wanted to have a broader impact on an entire school community, beyond the walls of a single classroom. At Northside, I have been able to support both students and staff, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. What are you most proud of in your work? There are many things I am proud of when I think about the commitment of staff and students at Northside. One of the recent things I am most proud of is how our school has strategically approached structured literacy and the science of reading. We just finished year 1 of implementation of both Wit & Wisdom and UFLI and saw noticeable gains from our students this year. Further, the dedication and commitment of staff as implementation has been a "heavy lift" but one we are excited about as we move into year two. I am also excited for our district as our school board allowed four of us, including myself to become Local Facilitators for LETRS, so we will be able to offer that training in-house to staff during the year. What's something that had success in your school that you think other principals could borrow? Adding Talent Development programming in the areas of Math and Computer science has had a positive impact on our students. Over the past four years, we have added universal screening of all 2nd grade students using the CogAT, along with, utilizing FAST Data to assist in the identification of students for math talent development. Being able to offer the CogAT in Spanish as well, has helped us to identify more students that may traditionally be "missed" in Talent Development identification. Through our identification process, we also offered professional development for staff in the areas of characteristics for gifted students and partnered with Jane Kise, who provided a professional development for our staff on her text, Doable Differentiation. Through this identification process, we have been able to add Math TD programming using the Art of Problem Solving - Beast Academy that is highly engaging and motivating for students. Further, we started offering robotics and programming courses for all students, not just those identified for Computer Science talent to help foster and stimulate the creative minds of our students at Northside. | What are some strategies you use to keep your work and life balanced? This is an area that I need to improve on, but feel that I have improved in this area each year. Spending time with family and participating in my weekly Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Group helps to keep me centered especially during difficult or challenging times of the school year. A quote from MESPA's own Jessica Cabeen, "Too often we go through the motions in our lives, and miss out on the moments" has helped me to recalibrate my focus when I do leave the office to be fully present with my family. What piece of advice would you give a new principal OR what piece of advice have you gotten that has been most useful? "Every interaction matters because every interaction could be the one they talk about the rest of their lives." - Joe Sanfelippo. We are in a unique position as school leaders and have the opportunity to enact positive change for our school communities and that starts with us listening as leaders and building capacity with those we interact. How many years have you been a principal? Just finished my 5th year at Northside Elementary |
|
.png)
How and why did you become a principal? I loved teaching in the classroom and never thought about being a principal. After attending many workshops and working on District Strategic Plans, I felt the need to reach more students, teachers and staff in ways that I was not able to in the classroom. This lead me to my journey in administration and to the leadership of the principal. I felt I met my calling as I worked with students of all grade levels, teachers, support staff, parents and community members. What are you most proud of in your work? As I reflect back on the work of the principalship, there were many things I found myself being excited about and proud of. I believe I was most proud of the collaboration I had in working with the staff, parents and students. The sense of belonging and taking part in decision making empowered everyone to be a part of the school environment and the growth of learning for all students. What's something that had success in your school that you think other principals could borrow? Make sure your teachers and support staff know that you are there to support them. Pass out special notes or emails to them of appreciation for the work they are doing. Point out special things that you saw them doing during your classroom visits that were extra special. Check- in with them often to see how they're doing and what they may need from you. Be visible in your building as much as possible for the students and staff. | What are some strategies you use to keep your work and life balanced? This can be a hard one as the work load of the principalship may seem endless at times. Leading by example can also be difficult. What I learned over time is that you have to set aside downtime on your calendar for yourself. This could be your lunchtime in your office with the door closed, taking a walk outside around the building or just finding a place to reflect. I found that my drive time to and from work gave me reflection and planning time. Once I was home, a hike or walk around a lake or in the neighborhood rejuvenated me. What piece of advice would you give a new principal OR what piece of advice have you gotten that has been most useful? Knowing that you don't have all the answers is important for a new principal. Seek out the strengths in others to build a collaborative staff. Get to know other principals for your support group that you can share thoughts, questions, ideas with. Also have your support system outside of your work to help keep you balanced with life How many years have you been a principal? 14 years |