Building Success Together at Kidder Elementary – Kara Rawson
By Marlee Perrin, BEAT reporter
BRUNSWICK, OH- Brunswick Elementary principal Kara Rawson loves mentoring staff and students, helping them build their strengths, and stepping back to watch them achieve their goals. She explained that she loves working for the Brunswick City School District and that the whole district works together to better all Brunswick students. Rawson loves collaborating with the teachers and working with everyone around her. This is her third year at Kidder and second as principal.
Rawson shared that she misses the classroom because she loves working with students. She especially enjoys building relationships with them, watching them grow, and seeing their progress over time. “I love seeing students have good days,” she stated. “But, if I can help students have better days, that comes from all of us working together.”
Rawson said that she did not always know she wanted a career in education, but she always knew she wanted to work with kids. It was while attending college that she started working at a daycare center. She thought it was so cool seeing the kids grow and learn. That's when she knew she wanted to be a teacher.
Rawson explained that the hardest part of being a principal that many people don't know about is all the moving parts that go into it. “It's not just creating a schedule for the entire school, and it’s really easy.” If she has to move one class by five minutes, that may then affect another grade as well; Rawson described it as like a domino effect.
Rawson loves seeing her kids grow in the classroom and helping them boost their confidence. When she sees that, she stated that it is a cool feeling to know you had a part in it. Rawson said important skills needed to be a principal are to work well with others, have perseverance, and understand others' perspectives for conflict resolution.
Being a principal is a big responsibility, but Rawson loves having a team to rely on, who supports all teachers, staff, and students. Rawson shared that the success of the Kidder students is a team effort.
Marlee Perrin, Brunswick Middle School, is one of over fifty student “backpack journalists” (grades 6-12) in the award-winning BEAT Video Program. The program, celebrating its 25th year, is sponsored by Donut Land, Plum Creek Assisted Living Community, MODA Gifts, Scripps Howard Foundation and the Brunswick Rotary Club. Go to https://www.bcsoh.org/community/new-beat-site to learn more about the Program, or visit https://thebeat.viebit.com/?folder=ALL to view videos produced by the students.
PHOTOS:ONE – Kara Rawson reading to a class; TWO – Kara talking with students about a Fitness Challenge; THREE – Kara posing for a picture during Thanksgiving; FOUR – Kara posing in front of her classroom.