CityU Graduate Honored as Distinguished
Principal of the Year

By Melissa Hoyos, CityU Alumni Relations

Lauren Hopson’s new career goal materialized after a fulfilling decade in the Portland School District as an elementary school teacher. She spent volunteer hours learning the work of an administrator: launching a summer school program, writing grants, and coordinating student events.

But Hopson knew she needed a master’s degree if she wanted to sit behind the principal’s desk someday.

So Hopson enrolled at the City University of Seattle Vancouver campus in 1999 to earn a Master’s of Arts in Education degree in the administrator program, graduating in 2000. She soon scored an internship at Image Elementary School in Vancouver within the Evergreen School District. The internship led to a job as the school’s assistant principal. She’s now the principal to Image’s 760 students and 70 faculty and staff members.  

The Albright School of Education graduate received one of the highest honors in her field recently. She won the Distinguished Principal of the Year Award for the Columbia River Region from the Elementary School Principals Association of Washington (ESPAW). Each year, school officials and faculty nominate colleagues  for the award. 

“I was so flattered and really thankful,” says Hopson, 49, who was nominated by her predecessor Tom Nadal.

Nadal, now the district’s director of elementary education, mentored Hopson while she worked as his assistant principal after graduating from CityU of Seattle. She worked as an elementary school teacher while taking classes on the weekends to earn her degree.

“What impresses people about Lauren is her genuine concern for the well being of her students, her sense of humor, her dedication to best practice, and her persistence in making sure everyone is moving together in the same direction,” Nadal says.

He adds: “She is a quiet leader by example who is having a positive influence on our entire elementary program.”

Hopson improved upon Image Elementary school curriculum since becoming principal six years ago. Such improvements include enacting a loop system where students spend two years with the same peers and educator.

Hopson says the loop system –which applies to first through fourth graders—reduces discipline problems because students and their parents get to know and feel comfortable with their teachers.

“I don’t think people really understand the depth that you really have to go to be a good principal,” says Hopson of an administrator’s ability to manage time and resources. “How you get creative with the little money that you have. You have to really have a vision of what you want the school to be performing at.”

She’s also implemented a teaming system where students will learn certain subjects, such as literacy, math, and science, from one teacher who has specialized in that topic. Hopson says the program helps teachers maximize and coordinate a lesson plan so they don’t struggle to cram material into one school year.

“When the kids are so happy to come to school, that’s probably the biggest joy,” says Hopson. “You also feel joy when the whole school is on the same path and (working toward) the same vision.”

Next up for Hopson is the opening of a new district elementary school where she’ll be the principal. She’s in charge of the school’s curriculum, staff/faculty hires and ongoing parent meetings. The school will be named Endeavour after the NASA space shuttle.

 “My hope for Lauren in her future career is that she get whatever she wants because what she wants is always going to be what best serves children even if it does not advance her career in the traditional sense,” says Nadal.

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