Schlechty Center

Judy Love Senior Associate

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I feel like I can make a difference. That difference presents itself in various ways. Sometimes I help a teacher understand that she can be a designer of work for her students. Sometime I facilitate Design Teams in their development to become a true team of collegues focused on creating engagement-centered schools. Sometimes I support principals in becoming leaders of leaders. Sometimes I give superintendents an outside perspective that kindles (or rekindles) their commitment to this work. In different ways at different times, I feel that I make a positive difference when I'm on-site, at a conference, or working virtually with a client.

At a middle school where I have had the privledge to work extensively, I had a very talented teacher leader who had almost given up. She was so defeated by the system that I almost gave up on her. But, by connecting her with this work and encouraging her to be a teacher leader and designer as well as a member of her school and district Design Teams, she has blossomed. As a result of her efforts, numerous positive changes have occurred beyond the reach of her classroom. She has touched those in her school, her district, her state, and her nation through awards and writings. That makes me feel that, in a way, I've touched those people too.

JUDY LOVE has proved herself a premier leader of leaders. After 11 years of teaching five different grade levels, Judy moved to school administration for 17 years. Her administrative assignments included: coordinator of gifted programs, coordinator of grants, administrative assistant to the superintendent, emergency interim principal, assistant principal, and elementary principal. As the former principal of Hayden, a WOW school located in Southeastern Indiana, she was named Indiana's Elementary Principal of the Year and a National Distinguished Principal. Judy has shared her expertise in school improvement at national, state, and local conferences as well as in hosting hundreds of school visitors yearly. Under her guidance, Hayden Elementary was named a Lighthouse School and an Indiana Four Star School, was listed on the state's top performing schools list, and was Indiana's only nominee for The National School Change Award. Judy's belief that student engagement leads to increased student learning and student achievement has become the foundation of her work.