GLEN CARBON - Glen Carbon Elementary School will have a new principal at the helm this fall, as Miranda "Mandy" Robbins was recently hired by the Edwardsville Community Unit District number 7 Board of Education to become the new principal.
Robbins will take over for Kiersten Saenz who stepped down this past spring, and is set to begin her position July 20. She first heard of the position being open is a common way.
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"I believe it was through word of mouth through the Edwardsville district, because I had worked there previously," Robbins said in a recent interview, "and I still had connections to people working in the district, so I reached out to them, submitted my application, they asked me for an interview, and things progressed from there."
Robbins was hired in the board's meeting on June 15, and she's very excited to get started at Glen Carbon.
"I am very excited," Robbins said. "I have a very special place in my heart for Glen Carbon, and I know that school has very committed educators for whom I have a lot of respect. I'm excited to get started."
Robbins will be coming from John A. Renfro Elementary School in the Collinsville district, where she was the assistant principal under Laura Bauer, and has taught previously in Edwardsville and Triad districts. Robbins earned her bachelor's degree at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., and her master's degree from the University of Illinois.
Robbins gave much credit to Bauer for helping her develop at Renfro.
"She's an excellent principal,: Robbins said of Bauer, "and she taught me a lot. I think being the assistant principal helped develop my own leadership skills, and Mrs. Bauer was very supportive, and encouraged me to become a building leader."
Robbins is looking forward to the chance to meet her new students, and will have her kids' best interests at heart in her decision making.
"Absolutely, yes," Robbins said. "I'm excited to get to know the kids at Glen Carbon, and all of my decision making will be determined to what's best for the kids."
Robbins' educational philosophy is an all-inclusive approach in all phases of modern education itself.
"My philosophy in education should be inclusive," Robbins said. "It should be culturally responsive, and we are including 21st Century learning, forward thinking and progressive."
When it comes to enforcing discipline, Robbins uses a positive approach to help her students know what's expected of them.
"I prefer to think of it as a teaching moment," Robbins said. "With consequences that are meaningful, restorative discipline, and help the kids, teaching them the expected behavior going forward. Everything is about teaching and learning."
Robbins is all set to get going when her job starts in July, and wishes that she could start sooner. With the COVID-19 pandemic, which eventually forced the closing of all Illinois schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, she also favors a creative approach to education during the pandemic.
"I think our district leadership and other surrounding districts are going to have to be creative and innovative to educate the students at this time," Robbins said, "and I think we're up to the task."
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