“She walks the talk,” Mingus Union High School District Superintendent Tim Foist said.
In the weeks since she was named co-principal of Mingus Union High School, Tamara Addis continues to demonstrate she is the right person to replace Principal Marc Cooper, who retired in May, Foist said.
“Those are some big shoes to fill,” Addis said, pausing for an interview in Cooper’s former office, which she has yet to occupy.
“Stepping into Marc Cooper’s shoes is going to be a big job,” she said. “He really had a good pulse of the community.”
Foist said Addis is up to the task.
“She has proven herself to have the skills to take our school to the next level,” Foist said.
Foist and Addis will act as co-principals for the 2010-11 school year, after which time Foist expects to name Addis to the full-time job.
Addis said she plans to keep her duties related to curriculum and instruction while Assistant Principal Allen Mitchell focuses on daily operations, including discipline and attendance, Addis said.
Addis will continue monitoring MUHS curriculum, comparing it to state standards to make sure what is taught in the classroom advances students’ ability to perform well on Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards test.
“What I have going for me here is we have excellent teachers and they are able to deliver a rich content in an artful way,” Addis said.
“We have incredible staff and incredible students,” she said. “I believe I have the energy to push them to realize their dreams, aspirations and goals.”
Ten years ago, Addis transferred to MUHS from Sedona Red Rock High School, where she taught math and science. Starting in 2000, she worked as a math teacher and won promotion to director of curriculum in 2009.
Addis spent her first year in MUHS administration as director of curriculum, applying her experience and training as a master of secondary education. She also holds several administrative certifications.
She invited the community to drop in her office anytime, take a tour of the school, and see for themselves the programs and infrastructure their tax dollars support.
“I want people to feel this is their school — make them feel welcome,” Addis said. “I really want that open door.”
