Thanks to Kippy Jo for the tip that Alki Elementary will start the school year with a new principal: Seattle Public Schools sent a letter to families this week announcing that principal Joanne Hill is on leave and former Loyal Heights Elementary principal Clover Codd has been appointed as interim principal. Read on for the full text of the letter, which the district provided to us by request:

Dear staff, students, and families of Alki Elementary School:

I am writing to let you know about a leadership change at your school.

Ms. Joanne Hill, your current principal, is currently on leave from Seattle Public Schools. I am pleased to announce that Ms. Clover Codd has been appointed as your interim principal. Her appointment is effective immediately.

Ms. Codd’s extensive classroom and school experience, her highly effective educational leadership skills, and her knowledge of and recent work with Lucy Calkins in the Readers and Writers Workshop project at Columbia Teachers College make her an excellent match for the role of interim principal. Ms. Codd is a strong instructional leader who utilized data to positively influence the learning and teaching of Loyal Heights students as their principal from 2003-2008.

In addition to serving as principal of Loyal Heights, Ms. Codd has worked in Seattle Public Schools as a teacher at Bailey Gaztert Elementary School for three years. She is passionate about social justice and believes strongly in creating family and community partnerships to support the education of students.

She also served as the program director for the National Youth Sports Program at Seattle University. Ms. Codd is an ardent advocate for students and is committed to building on the strong program and traditions at Alki Elementary School.

Ms. Codd’s professional preparation includes a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from Humboldt State University; a Masters in Teaching with Elementary Certification from the University of Washington; and principal certification through the Danforth Program at the University of Washington. She is currently enrolled in the Superintendent Program at the Teachers College Urban Education Leadership Program at Columbia University.

I especially appreciate the positive learning community that you have built at Alki Elementary School, and look forward to continued success for all students.

Sincerely,

Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D.
Superintendent

SPS spokesperson David Tucker tells WSB the district can’t release anything more about the situation because they don’t “comment on personnel matters,” aside from noting that Codd is returning to the district after a year’s absence and “we are very excited to have her back.”