Principals appointed to CRMS and DCMS

Marla Zimmerman was appointed as principal at Copper Ridge Middle School and Tracy Olson III was appointed as principal of Desert Canyon Middle School, increasing the number of new principals for the 2004-2005 school year to seven.

Copper Ridge Middle School
Marla Zimmerman will bring many years of experience with her as the new principal at Copper Ridge Middle School, which has approximately 565 students. Prior to being appointed as principal, she was an assistant principal at Coronado High School. Mrs. Zimmerman is filling the position held previously by Mrs. Marianne Bursi.

Prior to her position at Coronado High School, Mrs. Zimmerman was a high school principal for Gila Bend High School in Gila Bend Unified School District, director of Educational Services for Maricopa County Schools, principal at McKellips Middle School in Mesa Unified School District, taught Special Education for nine years for Gilbert Unified School District and Mesa Unified School District and was an at risk and attendance coordinator at Marco de Niza High School in Tempe Union High School District.

Mrs. Zimmerman earned her master’s degrees in Education Administration/Supervision from Arizona State University and Clinical Counseling and Guidance Counseling Endorsement from the University of Phoenix. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education/Special Education from Arizona State University.

She is a member of the Arizona Association of School Administrators, American Association of Secondary Administrators, American Interscholastic Athletic Association, Vocational Education Associations, Special Education Associations and Counselors Associations.

“I am looking forward to serve as the principal of Copper Ridge Middle School. As Roland Barth once said, ‘The best principals are not heroes; they are hero makers.’ I will do my best to empower students and staff to become the heroes, I know they can be,” said Mrs. Zimmerman.

Desert Canyon Middle School
Tracy Olson III was selected as the new principal of Desert Canyon Middle School, after serving as an assistant principal at Supai Middle School for three years. Desert Canyon Middle school has 713 students. Mr. Olson is filling the position held previously by Ken Erickson.

Prior to his position at Supai Middle School, Mr. Olson was the administrative intern for Jefferson and Salk elementary schools in the Mesa Unified School District. He also taught fifth and first grades at Salk Elementary School for five years.

Mr. Olson earned his master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Arizona State University.

Most recently, on June 8, the Governing Board approved the appointments of Dr. Christine Loots as the principal of Aztec Elementary School, Drew Davis as the principal of Hopi Elementary School, Walter Chantler as the principal of Zuni Elementary School and Cindy Hans as principal of Ingleside Middle School. Marilee McCracken was appointed as the principal of Sequoya Elementary School by the Governing Board on March 30.

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