San Rafael voters support schools, approve Measures A and B - Marin IJ, 5/7/13

Marin County Educator of the Year
 

The Marin County Educator of the Year is Dr. Michael Watenpaugh, Superintendent, San Rafael City Schools. Dr. Watenpaugh has served in education in Marin County in both San Rafael and Novato, where he was named the Novato Educator of the Year. He left Marin County to go to Sonoma where he was named Sonoma County Superintendent of the Year. In 2007, he returned as Superintendent in San Rafael. Upon arriving in San Rafael, Mike was charged with carrying out a new strategic plan called “Roadmap to the Future” that had a focus on high expectations for all students, closing the achievement gap, maintaining fiscal solvency, engaging families and the community and unifying the district into one school community. He began the work of implementing the strategic plan with a focus on improving the education of ALL students.  

Under Mike’s leadership, the public perception of the district has improved. Teachers, parents and students, working together, have achieved higher levels of student performance for all students and all significant sub-groups. Mike has brought visible changes to site and district leadership, district operations and family engagement. With staff involvement, new methods of analyzing data on student achievement have been adopted. Mike has encouraged regular employee engagement and emphasized leadership training at all levels in the district, including the Board. He has promoted inclusive and distributive leadership, partner initiatives and policies of open communication with parents, staff and the media.

At the countywide level, Mike is the co-chair the Joint Legislative Advisory Committee and serves on the Marin Promise Leadership Council. He has served as a judge for the state Golden Bell Awards. He is a member of the Committee on Accreditation of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and serves in the American Association of School Administrators. He also serves on the California School Boards Association's Superintendents Advisory Committee.

Dr. Michael Watenpaugh demonstrates well the many roles and responsibilities carried by superintendents. He is an exceptional leader who truly believes in "Lifting Student Achievement. Every Student. Every Day." San Rafael City Schools express their gratitude and heartfelt congratulations to him. Dr. Watenpaugh will be honored on May 23 at the Golden Bell Awards Ceremony at Dominican University.

Dr. Harriet MacLean
American Association for School Administrators'
2013 WOMEN IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AWARD!

"The Women in School Leadership Award recognizes the exceptional leadership of active, front-line female administrators who are making a difference in the lives of students every day." Read this press release  to learn more.