Karin Janik, principal, Rose Hill Elementary
Kudos to Karin Janik, Lake Washington School District’s “Staff Star” for November 2011
If there are certain characteristics that make a principal great, Karin Janik has them all. She loves working with kids, the staff, and the parents at her school to make sure that every student who walks in the door is successful.
Karin, now in her third year as principal at Rose Hill Elementary, says that she gets energy from being around the students. She likes to see them grow, learn, and generally get excited about learning. She also likes working with the teachers, reminding them that what they do each day makes a difference in the lives of their students.
Rose Hill Elementary has a diverse mix of students. Forty percent of the student body receives free or reduced lunch subsidies. Of the school’s 458 students last year, 109 were in the English Language Learners (ELL) program – representing over 30 different home languages spoken by students at the school. What this has meant for the school is that a lot of programs and protocols have been set-up to help meet the unique needs of these learners. Coordination takes place between “Better Schools,” ELL and resource teachers to identify students who are not at standard and to work together to help them get there.
Karin moved here from the Chicago area 30 years ago. Before deciding on a place to live, she researched school districts to determine where she would want her then 13-month-old daughter to attend. They bought a house within the Lake Washington School District boundary and Karin began working for the district as a teacher shortly after that.
Karin has taught at five different schools in the district. She served as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) in the staff development office for six years before becoming an administrative intern at Dickinson Elementary. Following completion of her internship, Karin was the principal at Alcott Elementary for five years. She then worked as a Principal on Special Assignment (POSA) at the district office for two years working on research, professional development and curriculum adoptions. Following budget reductions at the central office, Karin moved to Rose Hill Elementary in the fall of 2009.
“Karin’s door is always open to anyone who may need to talk and she has a ‘get it done’ attitude. She is loved by ALL staff and parents are continuously telling me how great she is,” said one person who nominated Karin as a Staff Star.
Another said, “We can go to Karin and she listens and gets the problems solved quickly. The best part is SHE LOVES THE KIDS! She has been in the trenches, teaching almost every level of an elementary school. She understands how our teachers feel and they know she is here for them.”