One thing that wasn't part of Susan Owner's 15 years of experience as an elementary school principal was launching a brand new school, but she'll have that chance when she takes the helm at Island Creek Elementary School in Kingstowne this fall.
Although a new school means new technological advances, new teachers and a new building, Owner keeps her vision on the task at hand.
"Our first focus is to make sure instruction is geared towards the kids," she said.
Owner will start with the basics and hone her learning environment to meet the needs of the students. Instead of starting with prefabricated ideas, she is waiting to customize her curriculum.
"The vision for our new school is going to evolve once we get on board and figure what the strengths are," Owner said.
Island Creek Elementary School, one of four new schools in the county, is located on Beulah Street near Kingstowne and down the street from Lane Elementary. Soon after the opening of Lane in the late 1990s, trailers were shipped in to ease the overcrowding. Island Creek is importing 550 current Lane students as well as some of the teachers, so that Lane can eliminate some of its trailers.
"All their classes will be inside," Owner said.
Island Creek has room for 900 students, but Owner thinks it will start at around 600 and slowly grow.
"We're targeting 600 [students] to open. It has the capacity of 900. The key is to relieve the overcrowding at Lane. We're opening with plenty of room, everyone will be inside. We've got room to grow," she said but stopped short of saying “never” to trailers.
"I think the anticipation is that it will grow at a slow, steady pace," she said.
AT NORTH SPRINGFIELD Elementary School, where Owner was a principal for the past 11 years, the strength was the community. She said the nature of the surrounding communities along Beulah Street is similar.
"At North Springfield, you really felt like you had a community school. The reputation of the community [at Island Creek] was putting children first," Owner said. That was one of the reasons Island Creek was the only principal position she applied for.
Eric Johnson was the assistant principal at North Springfield. The community played a big role in Owner's mission there.
"She always had high expectations and a clear vision," he said.
Librarian Jill Woodall started at the nearby Kingstowne Library before taking a librarian position with the school. Woodall is bringing her experience and connections in the area to Island Creek. Owner has already tapped into that.
"They [Kingstowne Library] have already committed a bulletin board to us," she said.
Denise Morgan is the assistant branch manager at Kingstowne Library. Morgan worked with Woodall in the past.
"Island Creek will be one of our schools. She [Woodall] was here when we opened. We keep in touch with the librarians of the schools we serve. Jill will know to fax us kids’ assignments in advance. Just having Jill in place will help us reach the children at the school," Morgan said.
Drawing the school boundaries was easy, according to Owner. Lane's boundaries were split in half.
"We have no issues with the boundaries," she said.
From the outside, Island Creek appears ready, but until July 15, Owner's office is in the Virginia Hills Administrative Building. The school has 90 percent of its staff picked out as well as its mascot, a crocodile.