(LITTLE ROCK) April 14, 2022 - Susan Bush, a principal at Bonnie Grimes Elementary School in the Rogers School District, has achieved the status of Master Principal and was recognized during the State Board of Education meeting today. In order to earn the Master Principal designation, Bush completed three years of rigorous professional learning followed by a year of demonstrated transformational leadership through performance evaluations.
“The Master Principal site team found an abundance of evidence supporting Susan as a designated master principal. She exemplifies transformational leadership in all areas of her work. She is a resourceful leader who involves all stakeholders in the continuous improvement of Bonnie Grimes Elementary. The Ron Clark House Academy was found to be a central part of the school culture. The team also found the students and their parents had a strong sense of pride, belonging, ownership, and love for their school and principal,” said Dondi Frisinger, Arkansas Leadership Academy Master Principal Program Director.
Bush holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Southern Arkansas University and a Master of Education degree from Arkansas State University. She has served as principal at Bonnie Grimes Elementary School for the past six years.
“Exceptional principals ensure a school’s operations run efficiently and effectively, but more importantly, principals place student learning as a top priority,” Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Johnny Key said. “While their role is anything but easy, they are essential, valued, and appreciated. Ms. Bush is one of those outstanding principals who supports her teachers and staff, addresses concerns as soon as they arise, and values the importance of continued professional development. Completing the Master Principal Program is no easy endeavor, and those who finish the program stand out as some of the best in the business. Congratulations, Ms. Bush, on achieving this high honor and for being a role model for your students, teachers, and team!”
The Arkansas Leadership Academy Master Principal Program was authorized by Act 44 of the Second Extraordinary Session of the 2003 Arkansas General Assembly to “expand the knowledge base and leadership skills of public school principals.” The Master Principal Program is a multi-year commitment, which consists of three phases of professional learning followed by an assessment by a team of trained examiners to review student performance, principal performance, and school performance.
Master Principal designees receive a $9,000 bonus each year for five years, and are eligible for an additional $25,000 per year for five years if they serve a high-need public school.
To learn more about the Master Principal Program, visit www.arkansasleadershipacademy.org or contact Dondi Frisinger, Master Principal Program Director at dfrisinger@arkansasleadershipacademy.org or (479) 633-7056.
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Photo cutline – Pictured from left: Kerri White, Arkansas Leadership Academy Director; Dondi Frisinger, ALA Master Principal Program Director; Susan Bush, Master Principal Designee and Principal of Bonnie Grimes Elementary; Cindy Dewey, MPP Site Visit Participant and Retired Master Principal from Bentonville School District; Ouida Newton, Arkansas State Board of Education Chair, and Johnny Key, Arkansas Secretary of Education.
The Arkansas Leadership Academy is a comprehensive leadership program aligned with Arkansas’s ESSA Plan in support of student-focused education, continuous school improvement, and educational equity and excellence for all students. To learn more about the Arkansas Leadership Academy, visit www.arkansasleadershipacademy.org.
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