Denise Lundberg knew she wanted to be a teacher before she even started kindergarten.
Three decades later, that childhood ambition has grown into a career in teaching, instructional coaching and school leadership. Since July 2024, Lundberg has served as principal of Litchfield Elementary School, where she focuses on collaboration, student confidence and helping children discover their leadership potential.
Now in its second year of implementing the Leader in Me program, the school is providing more opportunities for students to share ideas, take responsibility and develop leadership skills.
What inspired you to pursue a career in education? I loved everything about being a teacher and feel passionate about public education. That led me to become an instructional coach, where I had leadership opportunities that made me want to support the teachers and community who support our students.
What has been the most rewarding part of leading Litchfield? Watching teachers and the community support students in ways they don't even realize. I am so proud of the work that happens on my campus, and all campuses, every single day.
What values guide your leadership? That we are stronger when we work together.
What does a successful school culture look like to you? It looks like Litchfield. It is such a gift to work with the staff and community I work with each day.
Our school culture is intertwined with the larger community. There is collaboration, shared goals and a history that you can feel on campus.
What programs or opportunities at your school are you most proud of? We are in our second year of Leader in Me, and I have always believed that if we want students to be leaders, we have to give them opportunities to lead.
It is amazing to watch them share ideas and want to take on leadership roles.
How do you measure success beyond test scores? Student confidence and participation, kindness toward others and leadership.
What is the greatest challenge facing your school today? Funding.
How can families be effective partners in their children's education? Attend events whenever possible and get to know other families at the school. Listen with an open mind, and talk with your child about how they feel and what they learned.
Show that education is important to your child in whatever way works for your family.
What moments in your career remind you why you chose education When I spend time with kids instead of focusing on tasks.
What do you hope students remember most about attending Litchfield? I hope they feel pride and know that their teachers and staff loved them and wanted them to succeed. I hope they feel us cheering them on as they move through their education.
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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