The Murch Mustang Express September 4, 2009

A New Dawn at Murch

Before being named principal of Murch this year, Dawn Ellis coached other principals for Montgomery County Public Schools and served for two years as chief academic officer of the DC Preparatory Charter Management Organization and as director of school achievement with New Leaders for New Schools. She earned her administrative stripes as principal of two Maryland schools--one elementary, the other a middle school--having taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grades early on in her career. The daughter of a General Motors executive, whose career meant frequent transfers, she was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and then moved a lot: Little Rock, Arkansas; Dallas, Texas; Roanoke, Virginia... "Moving around taught me about being flexible and how to relate easily to other people," says Ellis, who double majored in English and education at the College of William and Mary before earning an M.Ed from the University of Virginia. Judging from the welcome she's received so far, those skills are coming in handy.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a teacher since junior high. I realized that I enjoyed working with children of all ages by teaching Sunday school and babysitting. Then I worked with a small group of special-needs children in high school, which was very rewarding.

What was your favorite subject in elementary school?
Reading. It still is. Just by opening a book you can travel to someplace totally different, meet all sorts of characters, and go on amazing adventures.

Who was your hero?
As an adolescent, my heroes were Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. Both of those men were trying make the world a better place for all, especially those who had not had a strong voice in their own destiny.

What made you want to be a principal?
After three years of teaching, I realized that I had a knack for leadership. Administrators get to work with adults as well as children, which is very appealing.

When you coach new principals, what's the first thing you tell them?
Build relationships with all stakeholders as soon as possible, communicate clearly and frequently, reflect on your own practice, and listen, listen, listen! You never learn anything when your own mouth is moving.

What changes do you envision for Murch?
Sharpening our skills to make decisions based on solid data, developing clear goals for each student learning opportunity, and using data diagnostically to change classroom programs. I'm already addressing some operational changes, such as improving communication and providing more opportunities to interact with the administrative staff. I hope people have noticed!

What are Murch's strengths and weaknesses?
After only a week with the students here, it's a little early for me to be making judgments. I will say that I've observed that the teachers are extremely dedicated, caring, and devoted to their students and this community. Sometimes when I see just how skilled they are at different aspects of teaching, it literally brings tears of joy to my eyes. The support of parents is definitely a plus; it would be hard to imagine a school with a more helpful and accommodating parent community. And, frankly, the students here are a major asset--kind, intelligent, mannerly, creative. They make us all want to work even harder in order to provide a world-class education for them. This is not to say that we don't have room for improvement. We are very focused on pushing our instructional practices to the next level.

Where do you see Murch in a year?
I hope to have led the staff in strengthening our instructional program so that a culture of learning to high standards is pervasive and immediately obvious to everyone who comes in our school.

Does that mean another "Blue Ribbon" for Murch?
Although I am a proud principal of a Blue Ribbon School myself and would enjoy helping Murch earn a second one, the status of that award is much less meaningful to me than achieving a reality where every child achieves grade-level proficiency and at least half of our students are working above grade level.

How can parents assist you in achieving those goals?
By being true partners in the education process--supporting the educators who have dedicated themselves to the Murch children, helping us achieve our instructional goals, and by providing feedback about what is effective and what needs a second look.

Specifically?
Parent involvement is most helpful in supporting the work of the individual teacher, especially in monitoring homework, reviewing grades and assessments, planning long-term projects, and just the basics of making sure children get enough sleep, a good breakfast, and a quiet place to study and read at home. If parents are able to help teachers out in or out of the classroom, I would feel most grateful. The art teacher has asked for parent volunteers this year, so please, if you can, sign up!

Do you have any plans to reinstate foreign-language instruction at Murch?
The research is clear: The younger students are when they learn a second language, the easier it is for them. I would love to offer a foreign language at Murch, either during the school day or before/after school through a program like FLES (Foreign Language in Elementary Schools). A big challenge is finding a certified and qualified foreign-language teacher, but we will continue to look for one in coming years.

Any other thoughts?
Only that I am thrilled to have been invited to work with the students, staff, and parents at Murch Elementary School. The teachers here are some of the hardest working professionals I have ever seen. It is truly an honor to serve this outstanding community, and I hope that my work here will add some additional polish to this gem of a school.

--Laura Kaiser