New Cohort of Rockwood Educators Joins Ignite Leadership Program

Nearly 30 Rockwood educators were recently notified that they have been accepted into the two-year Ignite Rockwood Leadership program (formerly Ignite Rockwood Educator and Ignite Rockwood Administrator). The program is designed for educators who may be interested in becoming a building or district administrator.

On May 17, Dr. Keri Skeeters and Dr. Dawnette Wiskur from Rockwood Professional Learning, along with district leaders Dr. Gary Jansen and Dr. Paul Godwin, set out to schools across the district to inform the applicants.

“We were impressed with the quality of the applications we received this year,” Wiskur said. “Traditionally, we accept 15 individuals, but we opened the class to 28 because we were impressed with the skills, experiences and passion the educators brought to their applications. We’re super excited that there’s so much talent in the Rockwood School District.”

Congratulations to the following 28 Rockwood educators!

• Monica Barnes – Pond Elementary
• John Barrett – Kehrs Mill Elementary
• Debra Carcamo – Crestview Middle
• Jamie Cobb – Kellison Elementary
• Nichole Dyer – Rockwood Early Childhood
• Laura Edwards – Center for Creative Learning
• Lauren Eickel – Fairway Elementary
• Merideth (Merrie) Filer – Selvidge Middle
• Chloe Gallagher – Wild Horse Elementary
• Drew Hagen – Babler Elementary
• Chasity Harrison – Rockwood Valley Middle
• Megan Holtgraewe – Selvidge Middle
• Sally Huster – Crestview Middle
• Rachel Johnson – Westridge Elementary
• Julie McFadden – Rockwood Early Childhood
• Meghan Menchella – Crestview Middle
• Leigh Mills – Wildwood Middle
• Laura Mueller – Green Pines Elementary
• Haley Pauk – Woerther Elementary
• Lauren Sakowski – Lafayette High
• Justin Scheuer – Eureka High
• Miranda Smith – Babler Elementary
• Becky Spellmeyer – Eureka High
• Amanda Stoll – Crestview Middle
• Laura Strickland – Marquette High
• Sarah Studie – Westridge Elementary
• Samantha Weisbacher – Crestview Middle
• Suzanne Whitford – LaSalle Springs Middle

In its seventh year, the Ignite Rockwood program has provided professional learning opportunities and expanded leadership knowledge for more than 100 certified staff members in the district.

“They’re getting access to some high-quality leadership development that maybe they couldn’t have access to otherwise,” Wiskur said. “It’s even more important that this is going to allow them to think about, ‘Is this what I want to do?’”

The prospective educational leaders will participate in direct professional learning experiences, observe existing educational leaders as well as complete a project of their own design. Additionally, the educators will receive support from a variety of levels: direct instruction, one-on-one conversations and observational feedback.