Her efforts to make a positive difference in children’s lives is what earned Dr. Stephanie Pierce the Curriculum and Instruction Administrator of the Year award from the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the United States, serving more than 17,000 California educators.
“I'm very excited about receiving this honor,” said Pierce, Assistant Superintendent for the Santee School District and its 6,800 students in nine K-8 schools. “Growing up, I had a dream of making a difference for people.”
Pierce, who earned her Doctorate in Education from San Diego State University’s College of Education, first worked as a teacher and loved designing and evaluating curriculum and researching what instructional practices make a difference in student learning.
Her passion, she said, came from her desire to help students develop a joy for learning. When she realized there was a way for her to make a larger difference, Pierce became a school administrator.
Pierce said she has learned a lot from many leaders in California because ACSA gives educators access to a network of some of the finest leaders who openly share their successes and challenges.
“I believe it is all of our responsibility to continually find creative ways to better serve our children in our schools,” said Pierce said who, with her husband Steven, is the proud parent of two children and balances her work life with surfing and running. “A good way to find inspiration — and to have a positive impact — is to think about your children or your grandchildren (whether you have any yet or not)…what is extremely important is that we create joyful learners!”