For Leslie Willis, every child deserves to feel valued, included and successful, regardless of their abilities or challenges.
As principal of Mabel Padgett Elementary School since 2017, Willis has made building relationships and celebrating individual strengths central to her leadership. With 25 years in education, she believes a successful school is one where students feel loved, teachers feel supported and families know their children belong.
Her commitment to inclusion extends to the school's specialized programs, where she says recognizing each student's unique abilities helps create a stronger school community.
What has been the most rewarding part of leading Mabel Padgett? The most rewarding part is the relationships I've built with our students, staff and families. I love celebrating their successes and seeing our students and teachers make a difference every single day.
What values guide your leadership? I strive to make decisions with my heart and always do what is best for kids.
What does a successful school culture look like to you? A successful school culture is one where everyone feels like they belong, are valued and are part of something special.
It's a place where students are excited to come to school, teachers feel supported and appreciated, and families know their children are loved and cared for.
What would you tell a family considering enrolling at Mabel Padgett? Our school is more than just a place where students come to learn — it's a family!
From the moment you walk through our doors, you can feel the love, energy and sense of belonging that make our campus so special.
What programs or opportunities at your school are you most proud of? I am especially proud of our inclusion and specialized programs.
I believe every child deserves to feel valued, included and successful, regardless of their abilities or challenges. Our campus is a place where we celebrate differences, embrace individual strengths and recognize that every student has something special to offer.
How do you measure success beyond test scores? I measure success by the smiles in our hallways, the relationships our staff builds with each other and the sense of belonging our students feel each day.
What moments in your career remind you why you chose education? Honestly, I am reminded every single day why I chose education!
It's in the little moments — the hugs in the hallway, the smiles from students, the excitement when a child accomplishes something they once thought they couldn't and watching our teachers make a difference.
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.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here