Finding Hope, Fulfillment in Administration a Q&A with OAESA’s Zone 3 Director
D r. S u e B r a c ke n h o f f
T
ell us about your background and current position.
What is the culture/climate like in your district?
to be. The teachers and principals have done all the hard work!
I grew up as a military kid living mostly in the south and three years in Japan. I knew in 7th grade that I wanted to be a special education teacher by volunteering at a summer camp for special needs children. I followed that passion to East Carolina University in Greenville, NC to get an undergraduate and masters degree in special education. I pursued my general education and gifted certification before completing an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership/Administration at the University of Wyoming. I completed an additional 35+ hours of leadership study in California and then completed my Ph.D. in Education concentrating in Organizational Leadership as part of the SAIL program after moving to Ohio. I served as a special education teacher in North Carolina, was a special education and fifth grade teacher in Wyoming, a principal in California, and a principal in Fairborn, Ohio before coming to my current role as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Fairborn City Schools.
Our district is united in our efforts and supportive of each other and our community. We’ve come a long way since I joined the district in 1999 by beginning to develop trust and communication over recent years thanks to leadership from the classroom teachers, principals, central office administration, and our board of education. Our motto of “Relentless in the pursuit of Excellence” is echoed in everything we do.
If we interviewed your colleagues, what are three words they’d use to describe you? Why?
What do you view as your most important contribution to the day-to-day operations of your district?
Positive: There’s always an opportunity to grow and learn. Together we are better no matter what the challenge is.
Offering hope and direction as we chart our path to excellence. Having been in the district for 16 years as a building principal, I had a good sense of the direction we needed to go and what support building principals and teachers needed to make that happen. All I’ve had to do is provide time, support, and help us focus on a shared vision for where we want
Congratulations on serving on the OAESA Board as our Zone 3 representative? How long have you served? Why did you join?
Dedicated: I’m very focused on continual growth and achievement and will do whatever it takes to help us get there. Caring: I work hard and care deeply about the students and teachers in our district.
I have been the Zone 3 rep since last year. I have always believed in the support and information that our professional organization provides. I think it is important
spring 2020
7
