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KPS Names Two New Administrators
The Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education on Thursday approved the appointments of Dr. Amy Vondra as assistant superintendent for Instruction and Student Services and Dr. Micole Dyson as director of Elementary Education.
Dr. Amy Vondra comes to Kalamazoo Public Schools from Chicago Public Schools, where since 2012, she has served as an assistant principal and principal in elementary, middle and high schools. She has successfully led programs across the K-12 spectrum and served as a residency site mentor principal. She sits on the Principal Advisory Committee for the Chief Executive Officer of the CPS, has coordinated programs looking at the scope and sequence in instruction to ensure alignment across grade levels and subjects. Vondra is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she teaches leadership courses to building and district-level administrators.
Prior to joining CPS she was the Chief Operating Officer of America Scores, a non-profit whose goal is to build confidence and character in young people to help them succeed. America Scores specifically serves school districts with a high number of at-risk students. She supported the leadership development of the 14 America Scores executive directors throughout the country, who in turn academically supported 13,500 students in 14 states.
Vondra attended Vanderbilt University where she earned a bachelor's degree in education. She also holds a master’s of business administration from Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Business and a doctorate of education in Urban School Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Vondra replaces Cindy Green, who is retiring in June.
Dr. Dyson is principal of Woods Lake Elementary: A Center for the Arts in KPS. She is one of the district’s two elementary lead administrators, serving as a peer mentor to other elementary principals. Through Dyson’s leadership with Playworks, the school was offered a full scholarship for the 2020-2021 school year. Playworks provides resources for socio-emotional support for children through play.
Prior to her appointment to Woods Lake, Dyson served as the principal of Washington Writers’ Academy for four years, and before that she was principal of the Benton Harbor Montessori Magnet School. Her education career began in Lancaster, Calif., where she taught pre-algebra and grades 4 and 5, while serving as the school principal.
Dyson earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Andrews University and a master of arts degree in administration and leadership from La Sierra University. She also holds a specialist of arts degree in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University and a doctorate in (K-12) educational leadership from Western Michigan University.
Dyson replaces Judy D’Arcangelis, who retired in 2020.