The Bettendorf Community School District on Monday announced that Heather Budd has accepted the position of principal for Paul Norton Elementary School, pending board approval.
“Heather is a passionate and motivated leader with experience in the classroom,” Superintendent Dr. Michelle Morse said in a district release. “She will be a great leader at Paul Norton Elementary for students, teachers and families. Heather is known for her excellent communication skills and ability to enthusiastically manage and engage classes of students and buildings of teachers. We are lucky to have her accept this position.”
Budd holds a Master of Education Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from St. Ambrose University. She has endorsements in regular and special education and reading.
Previously, she was serving in the district as an Instructional Coach at Herbert Hoover Elementary. She has taught 1st grade at Mark Twain Elementary, as well as preschool and kindergarten in DeWitt.
New CIA coordinator
The Bettendorf school district also announced that Rhonda Nelson has accepted the position of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Coordinator, pending board approval.
“Rhonda has an earnest dedication, commitment and passion for teaching and learning, as well as the science behind it,” Morse said Monday. “We are incredibly fortunate to have her on our leadership team. Students and teachers have greatly benefited from her leadership as our MTSS Literacy facilitator. Her expertise will help reach even more teachers and students as CIA coordinator.”
Nelson is currently working on her doctorate of education, concentrating in Reading Science with Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She holds a master’s in Instructional Design and Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Western Illinois University, Macomb. She also has a Reading Science Program – Dyslexia Certificate from Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati.
She has been working in the district since 2009 in a variety of positions — including guest teacher, long-term substitute teacher, elementary teacher, Professional Leadership Community (PLC) Leader, 21st Century Community Learning Center Program Director, and Language Essentials for Teacher of Reading and Spelling Training (LETRS) Facilitator.
Most recently, she has served as the PreK-12th grade Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Facilitator.
