Thornapple Kellogg — A seasoned educator and technology master, Addie Rose calls herself “a risk-taker.”
She took a risk when she moved across the country from Portland, Oregon, to attend college on a dance scholarship at Hope College in 2009.
This fall, she took another leap: going from leading a small, urban middle and high school to taking the helm at a larger, rural middle school.
“They’re polar opposites, but I’m fine with that,” she said of the two schools. “It’s a new opportunity to bring my skills, passion for leadership and innovation to the (Thornapple Kellogg Middle School) community.”
Rose has already painted her office a bright, cheerful blue and formed relationships with her new staff and students, some of whom even take a detour through the main office on their way to the bathroom just to say hello to “Mrs. Rose.”
Get to know TKMS’ new principal in this edition of Meet Your Administrators:
Other positions you have held in education:
- Principal at Lee Middle and High School, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools
- Director of technology, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools
- Special education teacher, Michigan Virtual Charter Academy
- High school special education teacher, Grand Haven Area Public Schools
Education/degrees:
- Bachelor’s degree in special education with a minor in dance, Hope College
- Master’s degree in education and instructional technology, Western Governors University
- School Administrators Certification in educational leadership and administration from Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals
- Working towards completing her doctorate of philosophy, educational leadership and administration from Western Michigan University
What drew you to Thornapple Kellogg Middle School? “I was drawn to TK to serve a rural community and I knew it would bring a different vibe of learning. I heard some great things about the district (and) knew people who worked in the district, and all shared good things. It also felt like my next career move was to move to a bigger middle school building.”
Rose said she was also excited to reach more students in a new community and continue to build on TK’s Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports programs.
“I feel like I bring a lot of skills and experience from my background in building MTSS systems, and there is an opportunity for growth in this district and continuing the existing work to support students’ needs.”
What would you like to share about your family? Rose and her husband, Jordan, have two sons, Crew and Tate. Crew, her oldest, attends elementary school in Forest Hills Public Schools while little brother Tate gets to ride with mom to work everyday to attend TK’s Early Childhood Center. As a family, they love being outdoors, going to the lake and camping together.
Describe your leadership style: “I always use the word transformative leadership. What that means to me is being forward-thinking, thinking outside of the box and trying new things to meet our goals.”
What are some of your hobbies? “I grew up dancing, danced in college and did dance for a while before having kids. Now, that translates into doing yoga. I like doing random crafts, like rock painting; I’m pretty good at teaching myself how to do things. During one of my pregnancies, I also taught myself how to knit baby hats.”
Read more from Thornapple Kellogg:
• Starting a new school year on the right foot, in the right shoes
• Building skills that last, from STEM into everything else
