Title: Principal

Company: Oceanside Unified School District

Location: Oceanside, CA

Phyllis T. Morgan won her award as principal of a low-performing school in a gang area. She helped a community rediscover its confidence and self-worth. She helped develop pride in self and learning. As the school journeyed through its nine-year development, it became famous by the media as it supported the local Marines as the war began in 2003. Local and National news including ‘MSNBC’ ran segments and phrased the school as ‘Proud to Be American’. The phrase stuck and the pride built to make the school a California distinguished school in 2006. Ms. Morgan has spent decades serving all students in learning. She has always been involved in public schools and being vested in making a difference. She moved to Sydney, Australia, taught fourth- through sixth-grade students for seven years in New South Wales, she then moved to Ruidoso, New Mexico, taught science in intermediate grades for five years. In a Sydney school, she worked on literacy projects, developed science units, coached basketball and developed afternoon club programs. She is the principal of another elementary school in a program improvement area. She works hard to support all students in reading, but understands that mathematical understanding needs more support. Currently, her school is looking for supporters for the development of ‘Mind Institute.’ This technology-based program supports the development of mathematical patterning through spatial patterning first developed at University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Irvine. The program develops mathematical thinking enhanced by brain research.

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