Two Pendergast Principals, Carrie Prielipp at Sunset Ridge and Molly Watson at Copper King, have received prestigious honors as top school administrators in Arizona. Prielipp was one of seven principals in Maricopa County, and 10 statewide, to be named as an Exemplary Principal by the Rodel Foundation of Arizona.  Watson and Copper King received Beat the Odds’ highest honor, the Gold Award.  Only six principals and schools in Arizona merited the Gold Award.

Also recognized by Beat the Odds were Westwind Primary (Silver Award) and Principal Dani Portillo Williams, and Desert Horizon (Bronze Award) and Principal Suzanne Jaramillo.

Prielipp is in her fifth year as Principal at Sunset Ridge.  She has been an educator for 17 years and served as a teacher and assistant principal in Pendergast before becoming Sunset Ridge’s principal.  She said in a news article:  “Having the opportunity to support, inspire and influence teachers to become the best they can be for our students is ultimately what brought me to the principalship.”

Principals honored by Rodel agree to mentor three aspiring principals over the next two years.  They also receive a cash award.

Beat the Odds is a rigorous, multi-year school improvement program based upon the Center for the Future of Arizona’s nationally acclaimed “Beat the Odds” research study.  The Gold Award is given to schools that demonstrate consistent growth in student academic achievement in math and reading over two or more consecutive years among other criteria.

Watson has been with the Pendergast District since 2001 is in her fourth year as Principal at Copper King.  Watson was also recently cited in a Beat the Odds publication for the gains the school has made in student growth and achievement.  The Article was titled:  Successful Schools Do Things Differently.”

- Back -