A former Jefferson City Teacher of the Year has been hired to serve as principal at Moreau Heights Elementary School.
Suzanna "Sue" Haugen currently serves as a primary school principal in Southern Boone County, where she has worked for five years. She'll be joining the Jefferson City Public Schools administrative team July 28.
Haugen has deep roots in the Jefferson City community. A graduate of Jefferson City High School, she served as a teacher here for 15 years. Fourteen of those years were spent teaching sixth-grade math and reading at Lewis and Clark Middle School; one was spent teaching fifth grade at Thorpe Gordon Elementary School.
Haugen also has experience with the Moreau Heights community. For four years, her oldest son attended school there. During those years, she helped support PTA projects and assisted with room parties, she said.
"I'm excited about this opportunity to return to the district where I grew up as a student, teacher and educational leader," Haugen said. "I feel that, over my time in Jefferson City, a lot was invested in me. And I look forward to being able to reinvest (that support) back in the district."
Haugen is married to Garth Haugen, who teaches Gateway to Technology classes at Lewis and Clark Middle School.
Haugen was voted as Teacher of the Year in 2007. That year, her principal, Bob Steffes, credited her for her devotion to the profession.
He told the newspaper in 2007: "One of the things, I think, that sets her apart from being an average teacher is the passion that she has for making sure the kids learn. She takes every student failure personally. She does everything she can to make sure every single student in her class learns and reaches their absolute potential."
Haugen will take over for current Moreau Heights Principal Stephen Saak. Saak was appointed in late October to serve in an interim capacity at the building for the remainder of the year.
On Nov. 2, Saak took over for Stacey Goodwin, who was reassigned to other duties in the district after parents and teachers raised a host of concerns at the Board of Education's Oct. 14 meeting.
Goodwin was reassigned to assume administrative duties associated with the development of the district's Transition Classroom, where she is still working, Superintendent Brian Mitchell confirmed Friday.
"We are excited to have Ms. Haugen return home to continue her administrative career and are looking forward to working with her as she brings her passion for education and her dedication and drive to support students, families and teachers to Moreau Heights Elementary School," wrote Amy Berendzen, district spokesperson, for the Key Communicator, the district's online newsletter.