By Mary Headley 

On April 11, Brenda Saxton was approved as the principal of Niwot Elementary School beginning fall semester 2001. Saxton has 10 years experience as a principal at four elementary schools in Minnesota and Iowa and has taught in classes spanning preschool to middle school. She moved to the Hygiene area about a year ago, when her husband became General Manager of Longmont Foods. Saxton took time off from her career to help settle her family and to volunteer in various community organizations.

Saxton hails from Buffalo, Minnesota, where her parents are dairy farmers. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in education from St. Cloud University, and has two master’s degrees in administration from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Brenda’s two sons are in district schools: Josh, a freshman at Longmont High School, and Kyle, a third-grader at Hygiene Elementary. Both
sons are active in sports. 

Saxton enjoys a variety of sports and physical activities with her family, including biking, skiing, golfing, and hiking. Other activities include art, reading and volunteer work. She is on the School Improvement Committee for Longmont High School and is a Talent Show coordinator and school volunteer at Hygiene Elementary. She also helps out with Boulder’s Community Food Share and CU’s Hunger Survey.

She was attracted to Niwot Elementary for several reasons, including the "great staff, super parent involvement, good community support, and wonderful kids." Saxton also noted that she had heard great things about the "family-oriented atmosphere at Niwot Elementary and the sense of pride that everyone has in the school." She said her general school management approach is "positive reinforcement and support—to look for the good in everyone…. I try to be proactive, and to view problems not as problems, but as opportunities for change and growth."

Previously, Saxton has been the coordinator for a new math program that helped increase math scores across the district. Other successful projects she has been involved in include starting a peer mediation program whereby fifth-graders were trained to help other students resolve their disputes through discussion; creating a Math Masters program, which offered students enriched math classes and a competition open to all students in Minnesota; initiating a Young Author’s Day program, which encouraged students to showcase their writing talents by creating books and hosting a celebratory event; starting an Outdoor Environment Learning Day, during which classes were held in a state park for a day and all subjects were interwoven into an environmental theme; writing a grant to create a Tree Trust program (similar to Niwot’s Science Garden); organizing a Staff Variety Talent Show to raise money for special educational projects requested by teachers; and organizing a school Read-In program, complete with puppet shows, art demos, physical activity centers, and favorite book readings by the school superintendent and the mayor.

Saxton has four main goals for the coming school year. First, she wants to ensure that school traditions and pride continue by supporting students, parents, and staff. Second, she wants "to enrich the lives of children by supporting programs that encourage literacy, numeracy, civility and creativity." Her third goal is "to encourage positive parental involvement to support the school’s goals and curriculum." The final goal is "to support the school’s teachers and encourage them to use their great leadership skills to improve the curriculum and continue to make learning fun."

Brenda has been meeting with outgoing principal Connie Brodt and other staff, as well as with various parent groups at the school. She laughingly says her biggest challenge now is just getting to know everyone as she begins planning future activities. The Niwot Elementary community extends a hearty welcome to its innovative and energetic new principal!