Gobel named new Pioneer Middle School Principal

Gobel named new Pioneer Middle School Principal

WALLA WALLA - Thursday, July 28: Walla Walla Public Schools Board of Directors today during a special board meeting named Mira Gobel the new principal at Pioneer Middle School. Gobel replaces Dana Jones who earlier this summer accepted a central office position for the Longview School District.

Gobel has been the Associate Principal at Walla Walla High School since 2003. She has been responsible for the Senior Culminating project at Walla Walla High School, the implementation of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, and advancing Response to Intervention (RTI) support across the campus at Walla Walla High School.

Gobel was invited by the Delaware Department of Education last fall for an all expense paid trip to Dover, Delaware to discuss Walla Walla High School's RTI success stories with Delware educators. Response to Intervention is a way of organizing instruction and assessment to meet the individual needs of all students.

Gobel's leadership has helped Walla Walla High School achieve a 96.4 percent on-time graduation rate. This year the State of Washington also named Walla Walla High School a recipient of the 2010 Washington Achievement Award for the Closing the Achievement Gap category. Walla Walla High School was one of only two high schools statewide recognized in this area.

"Mira has done an amazing job at Walla Walla High School and we will rely heavily on her experience and skills to help lead Pioneer Middle School to new levels of achievement," Superintendent Mick Miller said. "We had an extensive search and hiring process which involved many people and it was clear to all of us that Mira Gobel was the right person for the job."

Experience:

• Associate Principal, Walla Walla High School (8 years)
• Art Teacher, Walla Walla High School (4 years)
• Art Teacher, Pioneer Middle School (11 years)

Professional Training

• Principal Certification, Washington State University
• Masters of Education Degree (emphasis in curriculum and instruction), Northwest Nazarene College
• Bachelor of Arts Degree and K-12 Teaching Certificate, Western Washington University

For more information about the hiring of Gobel, contact Communications Director Mark Higgins at (509) 526-6716 or mhiggins@wwps.org.