The Alaska State Legislature presented K-Beach Elementary Assistant Principal Elizabeth Kvamme with a citation in honor of the Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals National Assistant Principal of the Year award she received earlier this year. The citation was presented to Kvamme by State House Representative Justin Ruffridge at a school assembly last week.
“It is quite an honor and I think the most special thing for me is that being recognized is not just about me,” Kvamme said. “It’s about our school as a whole and our staff as a whole and how we work together to support kids as best as we can.”
According to Kvamme, becoming an educator has been a part of her plan since childhood. “I’ve known since I was a kid playing school in my parent’s basement with my sisters that I wanted to be a teacher.”
As many know, great educators usually rise from the inspiration and tutelage of other great educators. Kvamme is no exception, and freely pays homage to educators from her past. “I can name everybody kindergarten through 12th grade, who made an impact on my life. And in elementary school, those special bonds and seeing how they helped me and helped the other kids, I knew that that’s what I wanted to do.”
According to K-Beach Principal, Janae Van Slyke, Kvamme’s work is a contributing factor to the elementary school’s academic, as well as overall success. “The collaboration between Elizabeth and myself is fantastic and it helps our students on the whole and our staff,” Van Slyke said.
Kvamme is the first Alaskan to receive the National Assistant Principal of the year award, an accomplishment recognized across the state, as evidenced by the State Legislature’s citation, but nowhere more so than here in the KPBSD. Superintendent Clayton Holland speaks highly of Kvamme’s commitment to the students at K-Beach. “She is one of those people that knows every kid’s name. If you go there, drop off in the morning, you’re gonna see her out there greeting every kid. She works to create that positive atmosphere and accountability and just outstanding work by Miss Kvamme, and I’m very proud that she was recognized again.”
Kvamme will be formally recognized for her National Assistant Principal of the Year award at a state conference later this month.