Staff photo/Ian Gleadle
Paul Bodnar, principal of Sunrise Elementary, has been named one of 18 regional Distinguished Principals for the 2007-08 school year.

Paul Bodnar, principal of Sunrise Elementary, has been named one of 18 regional Distinguished Principals for the 2007-08 school year by the East King region elementary school principals.

“Paul Bodnar provides consistent and inspirational leadership in the Northshore School District and throughout the region,” says Bear Creek Elementary principal Gary Keeler, who made the nomination. “Paul is engaged in community events and represents his school and the field of education well in a wide variety of forums. Educators turn to him because they trust his advice, his caring, his experience, his purpose, his knowledge and his ethics. Paul’s leadership voice and personal self is a gift to schools.”

Bodnar has been a principal for 19 years, nine of which have been at Sunrise. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from Washington State University and a masters of education in school administration from Seattle Pacific University.

Bodnar admits to feeling humbled by the distinguished award and says he is deeply honored to be a part of such an elite group of principals.

In discussing his work at Sunrise, he points to several accomplishments that he is proud of, including the development of a science lab and the creation of a summer literacy academy, as well as the significant improvement within students’ writing skills.

He adds, “But, I think more importantly, I’m proud of the spirit of collaboration that exists within the staff at this school. I am fortunate to have such a great group of teachers here and they’re each so intentional about the work they do. They’re the ones in the trenches each day and they’re the ones helping the kids to be the best they can. My job is to fully support them and to make sure they feel valued.”

Bodnar also takes pride in his staff’s ability to build positive relationships within the community – relationships that have continued to strengthen over the years.

For Sunrise parent and ex-PTA president Mike Sharadin, it is this sense of community that helps create an atmosphere of ownership among the students, the parents and the staff at Sunrise.

He attributes this quality to Bodnar and his ability to infuse a feeling that the school’s goals of education and citizenship belong to everyone. He adds, “This ownership factor is directly responsible for the sense of excellence and achievement that the staff shares and instills in the students.”

Bodnar is passionate about his work and enjoys both its challenges and rewards. He says, “I get so much satisfaction from seeing children achieve certain goals with regards to owning their own learning and behavior and to having acquired that self-management piece. That’s such an important accomplishment and it’s so exciting to see it happen.”

Bodnar is well respected among his colleagues, who view him as a leader and a motivator. They often look to him for advice on instructional leadership issues and his history of Northshore schools and trends in instructional change make his perspectives highly valued.

“Paul sees connections that others too often do not understand,” says Keeler. “He has the 360 view of challenges and opportunities that exist in schools and practices that best support student learning.”

Keeler continues to explain how Bodnar empowers others to grow and in turn, discover their own “leadership voice.” Principal Doug Hale, of Hollywood Hill Elementary, notes that his colleague is not only a leader, but also a learner, who has been active in his own pursuit of the best instructional knowledge available.

After taking part in the entire menu of district professional development opportunities, Hale comments that Bodnar diligently shares the information with his staff and serves as a catalyst in helping them move forward on their own pedagogical paths.

By modeling his individual quest for personal improvement, he serves as an inspiration to others. “I’ll always be a learner,” admits Bodnar. “I learn something new each day and I keep adding to my craft. Improvement comes from learning and the ability to apply what you’ve learned to your work. And there’s always room for improvement.”

Bodnar’s name will now be placed into consideration for the Washington State’s Distinguished Principal Award. That winner will be the State’s nominee for the National Distinguished Principals Program. Bodnar will be formally honored by the Elementary School Principals Association of Washington and the Association of Washington School Principals at its fall conference in Spokane.