Inside Litchfield Elementary School District: Meet Principal Tanya Rotteger

By Stacy Mantle
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At Corte Sierra Elementary School, students are finding new ways to express themselves through music, including a guitar program that allows them to take their instruments home at the end of the school year.

For Principal Tanya Rotteger, the program is one example of the dedication teachers bring to a school community she describes as family.

Rotteger has led Corte Sierra since 2017 and has spent 19 years in education. Her focus is on creating a welcoming environment where students feel valued, families stay connected and teachers help children discover their potential.

What has been the most rewarding part of leading Corte Sierra? The most rewarding part is being part of a community that feels like family. Our students celebrate their growth, our families support learning and our staff bring heart and dedication to every lesson. Leading this caring community is a privilege for which I am truly grateful.

What does a successful school culture look like to you? At Corte Sierra, our school culture is rooted in trust, care and belonging. Students, staff and families support one another, creating a community that feels like family.

We nurture these connections by taking an interest in our students' lives, celebrating their growth and supporting them inside and outside the classroom. Our goal is for every student to feel known, valued and empowered to thrive.

What programs or opportunities at your school are you most proud of? We have so many great things happening on our campus, including multiple music opportunities for our children.

We offer choir, recorder club and our newest addition, guitar club. We're especially excited about the guitar program, made possible by a teacher who secured the donation of 10 new guitars.

Students will learn to play guitar and read music, and they'll get to keep their instruments when they complete the program at the end of the school year.

How can families be effective partners in their children's education? Families play an essential role in student success by staying connected with teachers, prioritizing regular attendance, supporting learning at home and participating in school events.

By sharing their child's strengths and needs, families help us build a caring school community where every student has the support needed to thrive.

What do you hope students remember most about attending Corte Sierra? I hope our students remember Corte Sierra as a place where they felt connected, valued and inspired to learn.

Beyond the lessons, I hope they carry with them lasting friendships, the confidence to lead and a love of learning that continues to grow throughout their lives.

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.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

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.