The new principal of Monarch High School in Louisville is taking advantage of the nearly empty building this week to unpack and settle into her office before the students return in August.
"It's great to be back to where the learning actually happens," said Jerry Lee Anderson, Ph.D., who most recently worked as the Director of Secondary Education for Littleton Public Schools in Colorado. Before that, she spent eight years as a principal for middle and high schools in Illinois and Colorado. "I missed the students."
Anderson said among the reasons this position interested her were Monarch High's great performance and BVSD's excellent reputation.
"The challenges here fit me," said Anderson. "I believe I can use my strengths here and help strengthen others."
Fluent in Spanish, Anderson earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University of Chicago. She also holds a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction (CU-Colorado Springs) and a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences (George Peabody College for Teachers of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN).
"We are very excited to have Dr. Anderson at Monarch High," said Deirdre Pilch, Ed.D., BVSD Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership, High Schools and Middle Schools. "She brings outstanding high school principal experience, as well as experience at the middle level and in the district office. We believe she'll be an excellent leader at Monarch High and on our district leadership team."
One of the items Anderson unpacks is a wooden desktop pencil holder onto which is engraved "Dr. A." She smiles fondly and says it is one of many presents from students she has received over the years and "yes, a lot of the students called me 'Dr. A.'"
An avid tennis player and fan, "Dr. A" lives in Littleton with her husband Derric and their four children: Diane, Jessica, Forrest, and Solomon.