McSwain assistant principal gets top honors

Laurie Havel, assistant principal at McSwain Elementary School in Merced, has been named Elementary Co-Administrator of the Year for Region 9 of the Association of California School Administrators.

Havel, 38, was named the top assistant principal for the ACSA region including Merced, Mariposa, Madera and Fresno counties. She has been McSwain’s assistant principal since July 2011 and started her educational career at McSwain in August 1998.

Havel said the honor is humbling. The school has 860 students from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, and Havel makes it a point to try to learn each student’s name. Formerly a kindergarten teacher, Havel said she has known some of the eighth-graders since they were kindergartners.

“Ms. Havel is one of those rare individuals who has a heart as big as all outdoors and truly ‘walks the walk’ each and every day,” said Stan Mollart, McSwain Union School District superintendent.

“Like all of us, she has lots of professional and personal demands on her time, but when you come in contact with her, she is fully focused in the moment. It is like there is nothing and no one more important than you in that moment.”

Mollart, who recommended Havel for the honor, said she has an uncanny ability to weed through all of the information and data provided to get to the heart of an issue or problem. With her guidance, most people can get things immediately back on track.

Havel is a strong proponent of integrating technology into the curriculum as students are being prepared to live and work in the 21st century. She said the district is working on getting computer devices into the hands of students in the next three years.

“We have to stay up with the times and technology,” Havel said. “Adults sometimes are more afraid of technology than the kids.”

New McSwain Principal Dave Childers said Havel has been a tremendous asset to him in making the transition to principal.

“Her passion, dedication and talent are a huge asset for the school and the community,” Childers said. “She provides great service to teachers, families and the community. She’s an integral of what makes McSwain successful.”

Born and raised in Atwater, Havel received her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Chapman University and her bachelor of science degree in education from the University of Idaho.

She has written articles on reading recovery strategies, instructional strategies for English learners, English language test preparation for novices and reading in the content area.

Havel was named McSwain Teacher of the Year three years ago.

Mollart said Havel is a role model for all staff members. He added that she is a team player who always can be counted on to have the best interests of the school community at heart.

This story was originally published December 18, 2014 at 7:08 PM with the headline "McSwain assistant principal gets top honors."