Inside PVSchools: Meet Principal Schoonover

By Stacy Mantle
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Wildfire Elementary Principal Ryan Schoonover has spent his career helping students learn, lead and find confidence in themselves.

A Kansas native, Schoonover began as a middle school social studies and science teacher before moving into curriculum development and school administration.

Schoonover became Wildfire’s principal in 2018 and is now entering his ninth year at the school. His connection to the community is also personal: All three of his children attend Wildfire, allowing him to experience the school as both its principal and a parent.

What led you to a career in education? I wanted to be many different things growing up, but teaching was the one career I kept coming back to. I enjoy learning new things, and when I was a student, I often found myself thinking, “If I were the teacher, this is how I would teach it.” Eventually, I decided to go for it and become a teacher.

I did not initially plan to become a principal. I loved teaching and thought I would remain in the classroom. As I took on more leadership responsibilities, however, my principal encouraged me to consider administration. I earned my master’s degree to see whether it was something I would enjoy, and it definitely is.

What is your educational and professional background? I grew up in Olathe, Kansas, and graduated from Olathe North High School before earning a Bachelor of Science in Education from Kansas State University.

I began my career with Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools, where I taught sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade social studies and science for seven years. I also led the student government, coached middle school boys and girls soccer and served as an assistant coach for a high school girls soccer team.

During that time, I earned a Master of Science in School Leadership from Baker University. I also spent 10 years as a counselor at Camp Chimer, a National Kidney Foundation camp.

My wife and I moved to Arizona in 2012. I spent three years as the K-12 social studies curriculum specialist for the Deer Valley Unified School District before becoming an assistant principal at Canyon Springs STEM Academy and Sunset Ridge. I later continued at Canyon Springs for another two years before becoming Wildfire’s principal in 2018.

How do you encourage families to become involved at Wildfire? We are proud of what we do at Wildfire and are always looking for opportunities to share it with our families. Parents are invited to eat lunch with their children, help teachers, attend celebrations and contribute their time and talents in whatever ways work for them.

Our families are the backbone of the Wildfire community. Their involvement and commitment are essential to both their children’s success and the school’s success.

As a parent of three Wildfire students, I participate in activities alongside our other families. That allows me to experience events from both the school and family perspectives. I enjoy talking about Wildfire, promoting our events and making sure I remain visible and accessible to the community.

What are you most excited about this school year? Every year, I look forward to meeting our new students and continuing to build relationships with returning students and families. I have known many of our students since kindergarten, so it is rewarding to watch them grow, learn and develop their personalities over the years.

My favorite part of the day is greeting students outside as they arrive. I might ask what they had for breakfast, where they went on vacation or what they are enjoying learning about. Those small conversations are truly the best way to begin the day.

How can parents best support their children’s success? It is important for parents to be present in their children’s education and demonstrate that school and learning matter. Parents can talk about their own educational experiences, share what they are learning as lifelong learners and encourage their children to keep going when something is difficult.

Children also need to understand that struggling and failing are sometimes part of learning. Ultimately, one of the most powerful things parents can do is model the qualities they hope to see in their children.

What is your favorite school cafeteria meal? If and when I get the chance to eat lunch, I really enjoy the orange chicken and rice bowl. I will never turn down the macaroni and cheese, either. They are both really tasty.

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.