Schottle wins top state honor
Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Darlene Schottle has been named Montana's 2010 Superintendent of the Year.
The award is sponsored by the Montana Association of School Superintendents.
Schottle, who is in her seventh year as Kalispell's superintendent, was nominated by other superintendents in Northwest Montana.
Nominators commended Schottle for her leadership during years that have seen tremendous changes in the Kalispell district, including curriculum overhauls and several building changes.
Some nominators praised Schottle for the example she sets for other superintendents.
"She brings an infectious sense of commitment and enthusiasm to her very challenging job day in and day out," one wrote.
"Speaking from a district whose students transition to District 5 ... Darlene has done a very good job of making sure our students from the independent elementaries are part of the planning process," Evergreen Superintendent Joel Voytoski said. "She's just been a real advocate for that, and really working with her administration to make sure that's part of the plan for our kids."
Schottle said she was honored to be selected as the Superintendent of the Year.
"There are a lot of superintendents in the state and a lot of districts that are doing good work" she said, adding that she saw the award as "an affirmation of the work we've done as a district."
That work has included renovating and expanding Flathead High School, building Glacier High School, and expanding and converting Kalispell Junior High into Kalispell Middle School.
Under Schottle's leadership, the school district has also made several curricular changes, including implementing career clusters and Freshman Academies at the high schools.
The work has been the result of an important collaboration between the district, the board of trustees, administrators, staff and the community, Schottle said.
"Most important for me is ... being the glue that holds all those entities together to achieve accomplishments in many different areas," she said
In addition to her work as Kalispell's superintendent, which involves many hours a week, Schottle is a Rotary Club member. She has chaired numerous committees and served on the board of directors.
Schottle will represent Montana at the American Association of School Superintendents' annual convention in Phoenix in February. She is eligible for the National Superintendent of the Year award, which will be announced at the convention.
This is the fourth straight year a Flathead Valley superintendent has won the state award. Columbia Falls Superintendent Michael Nicosia won for 2007, Whitefish Superintendent Jerry House won for 2008 and Voytoski won for 2009.
Another praised "her strong, steady, quiet leadership style that engenders in each administrator [whom] she supervises a strong sense of professionalism and dedication to the school district and students."