Making up nearly half of the awards presented, NAU alumni and students have dominated the Rodel Foundation’s Aspiring Principal and Promising Student Teacher awards.
The Rodel Foundation is an organization committed to improving Arizona’s education by honoring exemplary principals, aspiring principals and education role models in high-need schools throughout Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Yavapai counties.
Rodel Aspiring Principals are selected each spring to participate in a two-year partnership where they will train, shadow and build a network with Rodel Exemplary Principal mentors as they prepare to become principals of their own schools.
NAU undergraduates named Promising Student Teachers will be mentored by Rodel Exemplary Teachers as they begin their student teacher experience during the fall 2015 semester.
“In order to create great schools, along with high-quality teachers, we need powerful leaders,” said Ramona Mellott, dean of the NAU’s College of Education, the state’s only institution meeting National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education standards. “We are proud of our programs and our faculty, who work hard to inspire our students to go out and make a difference.”
Listed below are the 2015 Rodel Aspiring Principals, degree or certificate earned from NAU, the school they are currently working and the city in which it is located:
- Joel Bacalia, master’s, Pueblo Magnet High School, Tucson,
- Karen Burns, bachelor’s and two master’s, Rancho Viejo Elementary School
- Rose Devine, master’s, Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary School, Chandler
- Jessica Felix, bachelor’s and master’s, Westwind Elementary School, Gilbert
- Debbee Garcia, master’s, La Cima Middle School, Tucson
- Michelle Gottleber, master’s, Gallego Basic Elementary School, Tucson
- Cindy Hookstra, bachelor’s and master’s, Gary A. Knox Elementary School, Somerton
- Nora Jaramillo, master’s, Irene Erickson Elementary School, Tucson
- Brian Lockwood, master’s, Superstition Mountain Elementary School, Sedona
- Albert Malis, master’s, Ironwood Ridge High School, Tucson
- Stephanie Ponce, master’s, Sunnyside Unified District, San Tan Valley
- Margaret Rodriguez, master’s, Madison Elementary District, Surprise
- Allyson Stewart, bachelor’s, Willis Junior High School, Yuma
- Jason Stuewe, master’s, Youngker High School, Goodyear
Listed below are the 2015 Promising Student Teachers and their degree currently in pursuit.
- Chelsea Cleary, special and elementary education
- Joseph Eccles, secondary education—English
- Jana Jensen, special and elementary education
- Chanel Turner, elementary education
A full list of award recipients can be found online.