Monday, April 21, 2014

New principals at Washington and Thurgood Marshall

Superintendent Jose Banda announced new principals at Washington Middle School and Thurgood Marshall Elementary:
Ms. Follmer comes to Washington Middle School from the International School of Monagus in Maturin, Venezuela, where she has been Assistant Head since 2011. She has a strong vision and a commitment to a healthy school culture and will be a great fit for the Washington Middle School community.

Prior to moving to Venezuela, Ms. Follmer was the Director of the Albright School of Education at City University of Seattle from 2007 to 2011. She also served as a Superintendent Intern for the Highline School District during the 2009–10 school year. Previously, Ms. Follmer has held leadership roles with Evergreen Public Schools, University Place School District, the Kent School District, and the Renton and Federal Way school districts, and she taught English and Reading in Sumner.

Ms. Follmer earned a Master’s of Education from the University of Washington and a Bachelor’s from Pacific Lutheran University. She holds a Superintendent Credential and a P–12 Administrator Credential.

The hiring committee was particularly impressed Ms. Follmer’s understanding of social/emotional development and her focus on technology and its use in educational settings.

-----

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Katie May as [Thurgood Marshall Elementary] Principal for the 2014–15 school year.

Most recently, Ms. May spent three years as Principal at the Seattle Hebrew Academy, a PreK– 8 school. She has a strong social justice focus and believes in building relationships. She will be a great fit for Thurgood Marshall.

Prior to her role as Principal, Ms. May spent eight years at Seattle Hebrew Academy, serving as Director of Student Services and as Head Counselor. Previously, she was the school counselor at Valhalla Elementary in Federal Way.

Ms. May earned a Master of Educational Psychology degree at the University of Washington, specializing in school counseling. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Georgia. Ms. May holds a Washington State Administrative Professional Certificate and an Administrative Credential from Seattle Pacific University. She has attended programs on Improving Schools and on New and Aspiring Leaders at Harvard University.

The hiring committee was particularly impressed with the creative programs Ms. May implemented in her previous school experience, her history of collaboration, and her understanding of diversity in education.
Please discuss.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now the big question does TM get an assistant next. Based on the enrollment changes and FP being a draw for families I think not...

3Ds in APP

Anonymous said...

I meant to say next year...

3Ds in APP

Anonymous said...

The district uses a weighted formula for determining the allocation of AP and counselors. FRL, SpEd and ELL kids are counted more than a regular student which is why some smaller schools have AP and some larger north end schools have a halftime AP or none. The district already allocated TM a full time AP for next year. But the district does take away staff allocations in the Fall if the numbers change dramatically when school starts.

CDparent

Anonymous said...

Thanks CDparent!

And yeah based on those parameters I doubt TM will have an AP 15-16.

Divide and conquer or needed change?

MGJ was certainly the former... Jury is still out on Banda.

3Ds in APP

Anonymous said...

Anyone on the "hiring committee" willing to say how many SPS staff applied for these positions? Or is that just too hot of a potato. CH at TM seems much more qualified than either of these women and yet she withdrew. I like that the reasons they stated for hiring these two and that they are female is great too! But these are the most soc econ / racially / ability - diverse schools in the district and these are the thinnest resumes I have ever seen. When you have to list internships and summer school teacher, like what they weren't the captain of the intramural coed lacrosse team too? Challenge to the hiring committee fess up, how many applicants had 3 or more years as a public school principal? This info should be public record right? But I'm too buslazy to do it.

-buslazy

Anonymous said...

Wow. Just wow. These schools both have sizable APP, more than half the students at one school, and yet, it is not mentioned as to how they fit the needs of gifted learners? Like, that is not a relevant job qualification given the job? Why does the district feel this way about highly capable students, like, they should be kept in a dark closet and never made mention of?

Hope these principals will do well by the WHOLE building, including gifted learners.

-hoping

dw said...

Ditto on the above comment. Where are ANY credentials related to gifted education or advanced learning?

It doesn't need to be someone's main focus, as these schools house multiple programs, but with zero knowledge, and like zero appreciation for, gifted ed, these look like very poor choices on paper. Very sad

dw said...

like -> likely

oops, typing too quickly.