Three city principals ready for retirement
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Susan Masterson
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Lynn Karges
JANESVILLE — Three more elementary school principals will retire at the end of the school year, the Janesville School District announced Wednesday.
They are Madison School Principal Susan Masterson, Jefferson School Principal Alice Wilkens Mann and Roosevelt School Principal Lynn Karges.
This brings to four the number of elementary principals who have announced retirements this spring. The fourth is Neil Bender of Kennedy School.
Masterson has worked for the district for 18 years. She was an elementary teacher from 1984-86. Then she was named principal of Monroe School, where she stayed for 13 years.
Masterson has been principal of Madison School for the past three years.
Masterson served as president of the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators.
Superintendent, Karen Schulte issued a statement: "I have appreciated Sue's commitment to education and professional leadership skills. She has served as a strong leader in the area of curriculum and staff development and has supported quality public education for all children at the district, state and national levels."
Mann has worked for the district for 14 years, all of them as principal at Jefferson.
"Alice came to our district with experience in the areas of special education and student services," Schulte said in a statement. "She has been instrumental in the establishment of programs that support special-needs students and families."
Karges has worked for the district 38 years, starting as a student teacher at Jackson Elementary School. She also taught at Happy Hollow, Van Buren and Harrison elementary schools.
She worked as a Title I program support teacher, manager of federal programs and curriculum coordinator in charge of staff development at the Educational Services Center. She became principal at Roosevelt in 1991.
"She has helped many educators aspire to the level of leaders," Schulte wrote. "Lynn's strong belief and efforts to connect with parents have strengthened student learning."
Apr 16, 2009 at 2:11 p.m.
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Happy - I hope at least one other principal in this district reads your post and realizes that parent involvement at schools is not a bad thing!
A huge thank you to all these retiring educators.
Apr 16, 2009 at 1:14 p.m.
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Congratulations Sue, Alice, Lynn and Niel. You will all be missed. You should be proud of all you have done for JSD students!
Apr 16, 2009 at 11:54 a.m.
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My children attended Jefferson and Roosevelt. THANK YOU Alice and Lynn for your dedication and commitment - my kids are better off because you cared! I appreciate the 'ownership' you allowed families and teachers in the educational process and believe that you've made Janesville a better place to live and raise a family. God Bless your retirements and please keep in touch - your students will love to see you now and then!
Apr 16, 2009 at 11:14 a.m.
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Sorry, but that's a terrible idea. Principals at the elementary schools have enormous responsibilities, they are already spread very thinly. I want them to know each and every student at their schools, and they already spend a considerable time outside of their buildings addressing district needs that used to be done by staff at the ESC. They don't have assistant principals to assist them with disciplinary issues, and they share social workers, psychologists, and other student services staff with other schools. Each building needs a principal.
Apr 16, 2009 at 10:44 a.m.
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This represents an opportunity. Let's do what the unified school district of Los Angeles is doing and have principals double-up on schools. One can serve at least two schools.
Apr 16, 2009 at 10:38 a.m.
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These four retiring principals represent many years of service to our children. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your passion and dedication.
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