Krestin Bahr, former principal at Stewart Middle School, has taken over a newly created position—middle school director—for Tacoma Public Schools (TPS). Since February, Bahr has served as the School Improvement Grant project manager overseeing the process to restructure four low-performing middle schools.
She will retain that oversight role when she starts her new position as middle school director on July 1. Bahr served as principal at Stewart Middle School during the 2006-2010 school years.
“Krestin is well known for her leadership skills, her commitment to education, her innovative methods to teaching and her passion for children,” said Assistant Superintendent Rosanne Fulton. “She has extensive experience in the middle and high schools and has a good picture of students’ goals and ambitions.”
Bahr’s Tacoma experience includes serving as assistant principal at Gray Middle School from 2003–2006 and principal intern at Mount Tahoma High School from 2002–2003. Bahr has worked for the school district for more than 24 years.
Bahr is currently enrolled in the superintendent program at the University of Washington and is taking classes to pursue a doctorate in school leadership. Bahr earned her Initial Principal Certification K-12 in 2003, along with her Masters of Education in Educational Leadership in the same year at the City University in Renton. Bahr also graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1985 where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biological Science.
“My goal is to focus on the work taken from the school improvement models of the four low-performance schools and expand that work across all middle schools,” Bahr said. “Articulation of the curriculum and communication among administrators, teachers and parents is essential for the success of students.”
During a reorganization of the Curriculum and Instruction Department this spring, the district created the new position exclusively overseeing middle schools. The concept, Fulton said, will provide more direct administrative support to the low-performing schools, then integrate the improvement successes at those schools into the district’s other middle schools.
For more information or updates contact the Public Information Office at 253-571-1015.