DMPS Announces New Principal Assignments for 2014-15
Des Moines Public Schools is pleased to announce that several veteran educators in the district are taking on new principal assignments starting with the 2014-15 school year. The new assignments announced today are for Findley, Lovejoy, Phillips, River Woods and Walnut Street elementary schools.
“I’m very pleased that we have so many talented educators in the district in the position to be successful school leaders,” said Superintendent Tom Ahart. “All of these new principals have experience with our community and our district, and a record of academic success with a diversity of students.”
These new assignments are in addition to those announced in late February for Hoover High School, Callanan and Goodrell middle schools, and Carver, Jackson, Monroe and South Union elementary schools.
All new principals will officially begin their new roles on July 1, although each will be working on a transition plan with their new schools between now and then. Additional information on each new principal and school is as follows:
FINDLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Barb Adams, currently the School Improvement Leader at South Union Elementary School and previously the mathematics curriculum coordinator for DMPS, will become the principal at Findley Elementary School. She will replace Tara Owen, who has accepted a position outside of the district. Findley is located at 3025 Oxford Street and serves 320 PK-5 students.
LOVEJOY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Shelly Pospeshil, currently a curriculum coordinator at the Johnston school district and a former School Improvement Leader in Des Moines, will become principal at Lovejoy Elementary School. She replaces Bill Szackas, who is the new principal at South Union Elementary School. Lovejoy, located at 801 E. Kenyon Avenue, serves 350 students in grades K-5.
PHILLIPS TRADITIONAL SCHOOL
Kristy Fitzgerald, currently the School Improvement Leader at Weeks Middle School and a former math curriculum coordinator at DMPS, will become the principal at Phillips Traditional School. She replaces Laurel Prior-Sweet, who is the new principal at Monroe Elementary School. Phillips is located at 1701 Lay Street and serves more than 400 PK-5 students.
RIVER WOODS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Traci Shipley, currently the dean of students at Morris Elementary School and a former special education consultant at DMPS, will become principal at River Woods Elementary School. She replaces Jill Burnett-Requist, who is the new principal at Carver Community School. River Woods, located at 2929 SE 22nd Street, serves nearly 550 PK-5 students.
WALNUT STREET SCHOOL
Rob Burnett, currently the dean of students at Capitol View Elementary School and a former DMPS teacher, will become the principal at the Walnut Street School. He will replace Craig Leager, who is the new principal at Goodrell Middle School. Walnut Street, an International Baccalaureate World School located at 901 Walnut Street, serves nearly 300 PK-5 students.
