Thanks to everyone who shared the news of this – Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda has announced a new principal for K-5 STEM at Boren, Ben Ostrom, who’s moving from Highland Park Elementary:
I am writing today to let you know that your principal, Shannon McKinney, is taking a leave of absence, starting at the end of the school year. I know you join me in thanking her for all of her efforts to establish and build the STEM program. She has been an exceptional leader for a new school community.
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ben Ostrom as your new Principal, effective July 1, 2014.
Mr. Ostrom comes to K–5 STEM at Boren from Highland Park Elementary, where he was Principal for the past four years. He is committed to STEM learning and your future expansion to a K–8 school, and will be a great fit for the K-5 STEM at Boren community. He is passionate about learning, and about students applying STEM subjects to understand and affect the world around them. Mr. Ostrom believes that families are our most important learning partners.
Prior to Highland Park, Mr. Ostrom served as Principal at Orca K–8 for seven years. Previously, he spent three years as Principal at Loyal Heights Elementary and has extensive classroom experience after teaching in the district for six years.
Mr. Ostrom’s professional preparation includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and a Masters in Teaching from Seattle University. He also completed the Danforth Educational Leadership Program at the University of Washington. He received a Golden Apple Award for Educational Excellence from KCTS-Washington Public Television in 1999 and an A+ Award from the Alliance for Education in 1998. In 1997 he received an EDS Leadership in Learning award and Washington Software Foundation Innovation in Teaching Award.
I know Ms. McKinney and Mr. Ostrom will work together this spring to ensure a smooth transition. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Ben Ostrom to K–5 .
Ostrom will be taking over K-5 STEM in its third year, one which brings a new challenge because Arbor Heights Elementary will be co-locating with it in the Boren building for the next two years while the new AHES is built. Meantime, we don’t have the official district announcement on this yet but our friends at Ravenna Blog report that Chris Cronas, who has been principal at Wedgwood Elementary in the north end, is moving to Highland Park Elementary.
ADDED 9:09 PM: The original report of Cronas’s appointment came via Twitter but now it’s also on the RB website, here.
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