This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
In the midst of so much difficult news, Flagstaff Academy is proud to announce that Mrs. Katie Gustafson, Middle School Principal, has been recognized by the Colorado League of Charter Schools as the 2020 “Charter School Leader of the Year,” as part of the League’s annual Hall of Fame awards.
“The League is proud of all the charter school leaders and staff who impact the charter school movement,” said Colorado League of Charter Schools Vice President of Communications, Peter Mason. “We are also proud to celebrate the outstanding Hall of Fame winners this year who have been recognized as the best of the best by charter school leaders, advocates, and supporters.”
Mrs. Katie Gustafson is an experienced teacher and proud principal at Flagstaff Academy’s Middle School. During her time leading Flagstaff Academy, Katie has developed a whole child and leadership approach for students to help prepare them for high school and beyond. In May 2019, Flagstaff Academy was the first charter school in the State of Colorado to receive the Colorado Association of Middle Level Education (CAMLE) Colorado Trailblazer School to Watch award and the subsequent National School to Watch designation from the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform in June 2019. Katie's leadership and dedication to children has opened the door for future charter public schools to receive recognition and meet the rigorous standards of these awards and, in so doing, provide top-quality educational and developmental programs for students to succeed now and in the future.
Mrs. Gustafson was nominated for the award by a number of Flagstaff Academy administrators, teachers, and students. “I nominated Katie for her persistent excellence in continuation of the great work that achieved being the first charter school in the State of Colorado to be recognized as a Colorado Trailblazer and National School to Watch,” says Wayne Granger, Flagstaff Academy Executive Director. “But even that accolade did not stop her from working tirelessly to implement our new Dragon PRIDE Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports system and her everyday efforts to make Flagstaff Academy great.”
Mrs. Jeri Tagawa, Flagstaff Academy Special Education Manager said this about Mrs. Gustafson: “Mrs. Gustafson is, by far, the best principal I have ever worked with! She truly understands school leadership and how to successfully implement changes that benefit the entire school community. One of the things that impresses me most about Mrs. Gustafson is the value she places on relationships – with colleagues, students, and families. Ms. Gustafson always makes time for her middle school students and she encourages self-advocacy. She beams with pride when she receives well thought out petitions and letters from students with suggestions for improvement.”
“Katie Gustafson is a dedicated, purposeful, forward-thinking, and determined leader,” says Mrs. Kate Salgado, Flagstaff Academy Athletic Director. “She leads with the focus on students first – never making a decision without the question, is this what’s best for kids? Better yet, Katie pushes our staff to grow professionally and personally in what I would describe as staff that is a “Dragon Family.”
