From Superintendent McGrory:
“Any great coach knows that understanding player strengths and strategizing based on those strengths is what wins games,” said Superintendent Mike McGrory. “This analogy applies in education, as well. Ottumwa Schools is blessed with an array of talented, dedicated principals, and the 21-22 school year brings about some assignment changes that I believe will ensure academic wins for all of our students.”
Changes for the upcoming school year include:
- Liberty - Steve Zimmerman and Jerry Miller will serve as co-principals
- Evans - Dana Warnecke will serve as an assistant principal
- Eisenhower - Dawn Sievertsen will serve as principal
- Principal interviews at Douma will be held next week to replace Amy Taylor, who was named principal at Pickwick Early Childhood Center in February.
Liberty assistant principal Steve Zimmerman will take on a co-principalship role at Liberty for the upcoming school year. Zimmerman’s head principal experience, success with program implementation, and past large school successes are strengths that will continue to serve Liberty well. His instructional leadership will enhance programming and improve instruction.
Evans Middle School assistant principal Jerry Miller will join Zimmerman as Liberty co-principal for the upcoming school year. Miller’s extensive elementary guidance background and leadership in implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports will be invaluable to the building’s social emotional growth for students.
Dawn Sievertsen, current Liberty head principal, will lead Eisenhower students and staff for the upcoming school year. Sievertsen’s curriculum expertise, collaboration, and team building will prove invaluable at Eisenhower.
At Evans Middle School, current Eisenhower principal Dana Warnecke will join the EMS team as an assistant principal. Warnecke’s experience with ESL programming and her upper elementary curriculum expertise will help to make the 5th to 6th grade transition smooth for students and families.
The district will interview for the Douma Elementary principal in the very near future. We have several outstanding candidates and look forward to hearing from them.
“I am excited to see these people shine in their new roles and know that the leadership in all of our buildings will ‘Be the Best’ in 21-22,” said McGrory. Staff, please reach out and congratulate our building leaders on their new assignments.