 | | Julie Kindelan, who served for five years as assistant principal at Westgate Elementary School before taking a year's leave of absence to work on her doctorate, this summer became the new principal at Westgate. (Photo by Brian Trompeter) |
|
As Westgate Elementary School’s new principal, Julie Kindelan plans to boost students’ learning, develop strong teachers and encourage collaboration between them, and build partnerships with parents.
“We all feel Westgate has a family type of atmosphere,” she said. “The parents are very trusting, the teachers work very hard and the students focus on achievement. Our motto is, ‘Infinite patience and never-ending persistence.’”
Kindelan’s formula for boosting student achievement is to make the youths feel they are cared for, and to create a community for them in the classroom.
“It’s like building a family,” she said. “We need to make sure everyone knows why we’re here, set the rules for the classroom and let students have choices.”
Westgate Elementary, located at in the Pimmit Hills neighborhood, will be home to about 470 students this fall. That number has increased by 50 children annually for the past three years and the school is over its designated capacity, with six trailers absorbing the overflow.
Westgate, which has received the Governor’s Award for the last two years, has seen a strong influx of students from Asia, who tend to be hard-working just like their parents, Kindelan said.
“It’s a school that’s against the odds,” she said. “Many students speak other languages at home and are economically disadvantaged, but they’re performing as well as students in schools that don’t have those challenges. We’ll do whatever it takes to ensure all students succeed.”
Kindelan has worked for Fairfax County Public Schools since 2000. She taught kindergarten and first grade for four years at Fairhill Elementary School in the Vienna area, then served as assistant principal at Westgate Elementary for five years.
Kindelan took a leave of absence for the last school year so she could work on her doctorate in educational leadership from Virginia Tech, which she hopes to obtain by December. Her dissertation will focus on student-discipline training for school administrators.
Originally from Winter Haven, Fla., Kindelan earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Florida Southern College and a master’s in educational leadership from Virginia Tech.
Like many aspiring educators, Kindelan used to play school at home when she was a child. Her mother, now retired, was a teacher for 25 years in Florida.
Kindelan said she pursued a career in elementary education so she could mold children’s lives during their most formative years.
“When they come to us, we make them who they are for their middle- and high-school years,” she said.
When not working, Kindelan likes to sample tasty cuisines and travel, especially to the Florida Keys.
Kindelan’s predecessor, Juanita Harris, retired this summer after 21 years as Westgate’s principal. Harris said Kindelan has a passion for helping students learn, especially those who are learning-disabled, economically disadvantaged or have other special needs.
During her five years as assistant principal, Kindelan developed innovative strategies to monitor students’ progress and helped teachers become more proficient at using technology, Harris said.
“She’s very well organized, very kind and considerate,” Harris said. “She’s mild mannered and low-key, but strongly focused on the goals and very strong as a leader.”
Jennifer Condra, a third-grade teacher at Westgate, said Kindelan knows the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
“Westgate is very fortunate to have Julie Kindelan back,” Condra said. “She is admired by the staff for her enthusiastic, yet calm, nature and she believes that all students can learn. She’s always available to listen and give advice. Ms. Kindelan’s organization, school vision and devotion to education will be an asset to Westgate.”
