High School Development
Resume:
S onya Sue Cary
**** ** ****** ** *** Harbor, WA 98335
th
253-***-**** ****.*****@*****.***
Innovative Thinker with broad-based expertise in Executive and Operational Management
EXECUTIVE STRENGTHS
Human Resource Management Student Admissions
Personal and Career Development Facilities Management
Strategic Planning Student and Family Services
School Operations Fiscal Management & Fundraising
Marketing
Technology
E XECUTIVE HIGHLIGHTS
Human Resources: Develop recruitment advertisements and use online resume services, review resumes to select
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candidates to interview, schedule and conduct interviews, assist new hires with employment paperwork and benefits, supervise
and evaluate staff, direct plans of improvement and termination procedures.
Student Admissions: Responsible for tracking applicant admissions. Increased student enrollment by 78% and
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have maintained enrollment in a private school setting through the “Great Recession”. Facilitate placement of students in
appropriate programs based on academic performance.
Management: Responsible for interviewing, hiring, supervision and evaluation of certificated and classified staff,
•
including counseling and career education staff. Work with the teams in the development and implementation of staff in-service
opportunities including teaching staff development to administrators and teachers on increasing student achievement in reading,
curriculum development and alignment and improving results. Develop and manage million-dollar plus budget. Coordinated
Learning Improvement Teams. Facilitated teams in the completion of self-study. Directed implementation of the Commission
on Student Learning requirements. Successfully run my own rental/property management company.
Personal and Occupational Development: Developed and taught Personal and Occupational Development
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program including career exploration and research, high school and college planning, personal learning style,
strengths/challenges assessment and financial aid/scholarship research in order to create for each student a portfolio (both
hardcopy and electronic), high school transition and success plan, and college and career strategy resulting in 100% success
rate of students being accepted to their first choice schools. Arranged mock interviews with business leaders. Taught Business
Education classes (proficient in Microsoft Office).
Student and Family Services: Responsible for student placement, tracking and graduation including the
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creation and implementation of accommodation/learning plans, attendance/behavior plans, referrals to outside specialists,
electronic and hard copy portfolios and transition plans to each student’s next educational institution. Facilitate Student
Assistance Teams. Created, implemented and supervised advisory programs.
Strategic Planning: Over 25 years of experience structuring and implementing long-term plans and meeting
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objectives. Created and implemented five-year strategic plans including student enrollment, fiscal, leadership and facilities
components. Created and implemented a five-year plan to achieve the Commission on Student Learning requirements.
Consulting: Make presentations and provide staff development to administrators and staffs . Coordinate with
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students, teachers, administrators and universities.
CREDENTIALS AND EDUCATION
Masters in Education Leadership, Florida Atlantic University, 1989
Graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
Bachelors in Business Administration, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 1985
Bachelors in Business Education, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 1985
Maintained a 3.10 GPA while earning two four-year degrees in two years. Concentrations included finance,
personnel, administrative systems and law.
American Montessori Society (AMS)
Elementary I Credential from Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest (MEIPN)
Building a World Class School
Training for Montessori Administrators
Model Schools Conferences
Building teams in Cincinnati, Ohio and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Additional Training
Participated in Response to Intervention, Dyslexia, Assessment, WASSP principal, AWSP, District and
Building staff in-services and college classes. These staff development opportunities covered a range of topics
including State EALR’s, supervision and evaluation, special education, instructional strategies, child
development and technology.
LICENSURE
Washington Continuing Principal P-12 (294511A)
Washington Continuing Teaching (294511A)
Washington Vocation Teaching (294511A)
American Montessori Society Elementary I Certificate
STARS 20 Hour Basic/Initial plus 10 Hours per year
First Aid/CPR Certificate (current)
Food Handler’s Certificate (current)
AWARDS
National Business Education Association Merit Award Indiana University
2012 Reader’s Choice Winner Preschool Level
Award of Excellence from Kent School District
Honors awards from Indiana University and Alpha Delta Pi sorority
Recipient of Rotary Club and Virgil Morris scholarships
MEMBERSHIPS
Association of Washington School Principals
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
American Montessori Society
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Harbor Montessori School Principal 2001-present
Educational Leadership: Responsible for the supervision and integrity of the Toddler, Primary, Elementary and Middle School
programs. Also supervise the enrichment, afterschool studio, parent education and summer school programs. Created a Writer’s
Workshop and a Personal & Occupational Development program. Developed and implemented the Middle School curriculum.
Oversaw the creation of a toddler program. Quadrupled the size of the library. Increased the available student software tools (e.g.
Bridges (Choices Explorer/Choices Planner), Inspiration, Rosetta Stone, Adobe). Initiated electronic portfolios for graduating students.
Created High School Program and Course Description Book which was approved by Office of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction.
Human Resource Management: Responsible for the hiring, supervision and evaluation of approximately 20 staff members.
Coordinate the staff development program.
Fiscal Management & Fundraising: Responsible for the creation and management of a million-dollar plus budget. Increased cash
reserves by 700%. Wrote and received several grants and secured donations. Chaired the Capital Campaign, Annual Fund and Auction.
Started scholarship program.
Marketing: Increased student enrollment 78%. Maintained enrollment through the “Great Recession”. Direct the advertising
strategy/budget. Oversaw the development of the school website and social media efforts. Worked with students to create a new logo
and mascot.
Student & Family Services: Student placement, accommodation/learning plans, attendance, discipline, and referrals to outside
professionals. Create a transition plan for every graduating student.
Facilities: Oversee maintenance of the campus (two buildings, three playgrounds, commons area and additional parcel). Oversaw the
on-time, with-in budget, construction of Building B. Orchestrated the land purchase for Building C including securing donations to pay
for the purchase. Overseeing the construction of Building C.
Technology: Implemented a laptop for every student. Put firewalls and a wireless system into service. Developed a technology-use
policy. Maintain the school’s website and social media presence.
School Operations: Maintain the DSHS and State licenses and American Montessori Society (AMS) accreditation. Conduct staff
meetings. Create staffing and program schedules. Responsible for school communication and procedures. Conduct safety drills. Assist
in preparing Board of Directors’ agenda. Implement Board directives.
Teaching: Taught Writer’s Workshop, Personal & Occupational Development, Middle School.
Warren Avenue, LLC Owner/Manager 2004-Present
Coordinate advertising, process rental applications, create and administer budgets, coordinate facility maintenance, complete
accounting, legal and licensure functions.
Direct Instruction Specialist / Field Supervisor / Consultant 2000-2001
Eastern Washington University
Direct instruction programs in Western Washington. Training teachers and tutors. Grading tutors. Liaison with the University
City University
Supervised student teachers. Conferencing with student teachers and their cooperating teachers. Completing
observations with pre- and post-conferences. Being a resource to the student teacher. Serving as a liaison
between the student teacher, cooperating teacher and City University.
Conference Leadership
Making presentations and providing staff development to administrators and staffs on increasing student
achievement in reading, curriculum development and alignment and improving WASL results. Presented at
the OSPI Winter Conference in Spokane, Washington, in January 2001, Joint Washington/Idaho Educators
Conference in 2001 and the Literacy Conference in Tacoma, Washington, in May 2001.
Assistant Principal 1998--
South Kitsap High, South Kitsap School District
2001
Staff Supervision and Evaluation: Responsible for the supervision and evaluation of approximately 20 certificated and 3 classified
staff. Supervised a variety of departments including counseling and career education. Related personnel duties included interviewing
and hiring certificated and classified staff, investigating harassment and employee issues and assisting with employees on plans of
improvement.
Curriculum: Created and implemented a five-year plan to achieve the Commission on Student Learning requirements, including an
analysis/documentation of our curriculum, alignment of our curriculum with the EALR’s and Course Resource Notebooks including
proven instructional strategies. Worked with the Building Leadership Team in the development and implementation of staff in-service
opportunities, including reading strategies, 6-trait writing and math strategies. Assisted in the development of new courses, including a
math adoption moving to the integrated math model. Other new courses included Math Trek, a WASL remediation course using the
interactive math program, and Reading Trek, a reading remediation course using Eastern Washington University’s PALS program.
Facilitated the expansion of our Advanced Placement program and have brought University of Washington College-in-the-High-School
courses to our campus. Organized the review of our Special Education curriculum, bringing the program into compliance. Was
responsible for testing programs (AP and WASL). Developed a WASL in-service program for staff, organized over 3000 test items into
small group testing environments and created a student group, The WASL SWAT Team, to explain the importance of the WASL to their
peers and design an incentive package for students. Reorganized the course description catalog. Created a monthly curriculum
newsletter, including instructional tips. Was a speaker on improving reading at the secondary level at OSPI’s conference.
Student Services: Worked with students and parents regarding attendance, discipline and academic matters. Work with a grade-level
team consisting of two counselors and a dean of students to serve 970 students, including grade-level ASB activities. Facilitated
placement of students in appropriate programs based on academic performance. Served as a member of the Attendance Hearing Board.
Supervised activity and athletic events.
Assistant Principal 1997-
Skyline High School, Issaquah School District
1998
School Operations: Assisted in the opening of this new International Baccalaureate high school. Established the internal procedures
for counseling, automated attendance, staff and student parking, staff handbook and daily operations.
Staff Supervision and Evaluation: Was responsible for the supervision and evaluation of approximately 16 certificated and 10
classified staff. Supervised a variety of departments. Interviewed and hired both certificated and classified staff. Was responsible for
the new staff orientation.
Curriculum: Was responsible for building the master schedule, including integrated blocks (Humanities). Facilitated testing
programs (AP and WASL). Created our first course description catalog. Assisted in the development of new courses (IB).
Technology: Responsible for the building’s data processing, including on-line attendance and grade reporting.
Student Services: Worked with students and parents regarding attendance, discipline and academic matters. Facilitated the Student
Assistance Team. Supervised counseling and career education programs. Assisted with the supervision of our advisory program.
Supervised activity and athletic events. Facilitated our visitor program and our new student orientation.
District Involvement: Served on the principal’s negotiations team. Served on a committee which facilitated district-wide curriculum
articulation and alignment
Assistant Principal 1992-1997
Kentridge High School, Kent School District
Staff Supervision and Evaluation: Was responsible for the supervision and evaluation of approximately 40 certificated and 10
classified staff. Supervised a variety of departments. Related personnel duties included interviewing and hiring certificated and
classified staff and successfully dealing with employees on plans of improvement and probation. Developed a multi-year, beginning
teacher program. Taught staff development classes for the district.
Curriculum: Was responsible for building the master schedule. Facilitated the establishment of integrated and blocked classes such as
Applied Communications and Environmental Studies. Aided in establishing new programs such as our Transition/Re-Entry program
and Advanced Physics. Other duties included testing (CFAS); developed a CFAS in-service program for staff, created a plan to align
our curriculum with the test content and developed an incentive package for students using student input.
Learning Improvement Team (LIT): Facilitated the team in the completion of our self-study. Worked with the team in the
development and implementation of staff in-service opportunities. Directed our efforts in implementing the Commission on Student
Learning requirements.
Technology: Served on the District’s Technology Steering Committee. Served on our building technology committee. Was
responsible for the building’s data processing. Facilitated the scheduling of computer labs.
Student Services: Oversaw the ASB and student activities, working closely with student government representative and club officers.
Supervised activity and athletic events. Worked with students and parents regarding attendance and discipline issues. Was responsible
for the development of students’ class schedules.
School Operations: Was responsible for campus security including the supervision of two security officers, facilities and maintenance,
faculty and student handbooks, and department chairpersons and staff meetings.
State and District Involvement: Served on WASSP’s Representative Council representing the SPSL. Served on the District’s
technology, security, student attendance and employee leave committees. Assigned as a mentor to other administrators. Taught staff
development courses for the district.
REFERENCES
Major Terry O’Rourke, Former Board President Mr. David Olive, Former Board Treasurer
& HMS Parent & HMS Parent
201-34th Avenue NW 5514-134th Street Court NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Gig Harbor, WA 98332
Mrs. Carrie Butler, HMS Teacher Mrs. Mary Glenn
& Former HMS Parent Former HMS Teacher
32829-43rd Place SW 1920 Clorindi Circle Drive NW
Federal Way, WA Gig Harbor, WA 98335
Mrs. Kathleen Stanley, HMS Business
Manager & Former HMS Parent
11018-64th Avenue NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98332
Mr. Dave Colombini, Former Principal Mr. Bob Davidson
South Kitsap High School Retired Principal of Kentridge High School
1962 Hoover Avenue SE 170 Bow Road
Port Orchard, WA 98366 Fox Island, WA 98333
Ms. Beth Wallen, Principal Panther Lake Student References Furnished Upon Request
Elementary & Former Asst. Principal at
Kentridge High School
10200 SE 216th Street
Kent, WA 98031
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