Venable ready to move from principal to asst. superintendent

Principal Sue Venable can be found dirtying her hands in all aspects of the students’ education at College Place Elementary.

She tested students herself last winter when she found out many were struggling. She dressed up as Glenda the Good Witch for a school play. She spends time with each family of a kindergartner before they enter school in the fall.

“She’s invested in every part of the school – even the garden!” said first-grade teacher Kathleen Seymour.

That’s right, she even gets knee-deep in plants while weeding on occasion.

Last month, Edmonds School District Superintendent Nick Brossoit announced Venable will fill an opening as assistant superintendent for the district.

While her service to schools will change, Venable’s enthusiasm will not.

“It’s like a mixed blessing,” said Carol Lyons, a kindergarten teacher at College Place.

Lyons said she will miss Venable’s leadership and excitement, but she knows Venable will continue to have a vested interest in the school.

Venable, an Edmonds resident, has been the principal at College Place for nine years. Prior to that, she taught special education at Sherwood Elementary for eight years. She also has taught in the Lake Washington School District and in Centralia and Ferndale. She’s worked with students in all grades and also has taught community college courses, she said.

This teaching background has given Venable, a 1999 recipient of KCTS’ Golden Apple Award for educational excellence, a greater perspective and has made her a better principal, she said.

“I’m excited to be able to take what I’ve learned as a principal and help other schools,” Venable said. “I see myself as a resource.”

Venable’s new role as an assistant superintendent will have her overseeing elementary schools in two quadrants of the district – the northwest and the southeast – and a volunteerism program the district will implement in the fall.

While there is a lot in store for Venable as she takes on this new role effective July 1, she has a lot to be proud of from her time spent at College Place.

During those nine years, the standardized testing scores have improved, in some cases, by more than 60 percentage points. The fourth-grade math scores were as low as 8 percent of the students meeting or exceeding standard in 1997. That figure rose to 74 percent in 2002.

“It’s just amazing, the growth that we’ve made,” Venable said.

A number of College Place teachers said it was Venable’s hands-on approach that helped turn things around. She’s known for her openness and strong communication and interest in classroom happenings.

“She truly guides the students,” said first-grade teacher Cathy Roberts.

Venable is quick to give recognition to staff for the students’ improvements. She said her staff’s dedication and hard work has made the difference for many of the students.

Venable initiated the Natural Leaders program at College Place, which helps families from different ethnicities adjust to the school’s community. Five parent-volunteers who speak foreign languages are matched up with families from the same background. These volunteers help the families understand what’s going on at the school and ways to get involved, Venable said.

With 27 languages spoken at College Place, she said this program has been invaluable.

“It’s about bridging the gap,” Venable said.

She also implemented a Kindergarten Jump Start program that brings kindergartners into school for a two-week period in August.

“This is a perfect opportunity for our incoming kindergartners and parents to become acclimated to the school in a more relaxed setting,” she said.

Venable hopes to share success from these programs with other elementary schools around the district, she said.

She said she will miss the families, students, teachers and staff at College Place, but she won’t be far away.

“I will miss the children, but I feel I’ll be able to have a larger impact” across the district, she said.

Staff members said they will miss her but are glad she won’t be far away.

Although College Place isn’t within Venable’s two quadrants, kindergarten teacher Allison Hruschka said, “her watchful eye will be over us too.”