Woodridge Principal Honored With Regional Award Bob Pedersen Cited For ‘Ability To Facilitate,’ ‘Positive Leadership And Sense Of Humor’

Jansi Mulch ran through a gauntlet of principals last year in search of a teaching job.

A special education teacher, she’d already had interviews with other principals by the time she got to Woodridge Elementary School.

At most of the other schools, she sat in offices with other candidates waiting for a chance to convince those head honchos they were worthy of hiring.

“Some of them were just really formal, a couple were almost intimidating,” Mulch said. But then she got to Woodridge.

There, she didn’t have to sweat with other applicants. Principal Bob Pedersen even offered her a soda for her interview.

“He smiled, we laughed during the interview - it was the nicest interview I had,” she said.

Mulch, who got the job, isn’t alone when it comes to appreciating the way her boss handles himself, other people and situations.

It’s one of the reasons he was recently selected the Regional Principal of the Year.

“Sometimes I get (wound up),” said teacher Palma Sabatini. “But he has a very calming effect on me and that’s very reassuring.”

Added Janet Bowman, an instructing assistant: “He’s not an intimidating principal. His door is never closed.”

Pedersen, clearly not one to call attention to himself, said one word best described his feelings after he found out he won the award.

“Uncomfortable,” the third-year boss said.

His peers cited him for his “ability to facilitate and collaborate,” as well as his “positive leadership and sense of humor.”

Pedersen said he’s flattered, but somewhat uneasy about the honor.

“Anytime a group of people you respect and admire so much recognizes you, you don’t think you’re worthy,” he said.

Pedersen said a lot of the credit needs to be directed to his staff.

“One of the parts of this job I enjoy the most is seeing people do what they’re hired to do,” he said. “The skill level of people working with kids in the Spokane area is incredible.

“All I want to do is create a positive learning environment and be an advocate for what they’re doing,” Pedersen said.

Pedersen has been in education for 29 years. He’s worked in Potlatch, Idaho, Medical Lake, Oroville, Wash., and Spokane.

He’s been in District 81 for 15 years and has been a teacher, counselor, director of special education and principal in eight different schools in the county.

Pedersen said that diverse work experience gives him a deeper appreciation and understanding of everything going on in a school.

Despite the accolades, Pedersen said there’s a lot of work to be done these days.

“One of the greatest challenges in education has always been the increased demands on teachers’ time,” he said. “Teaching has always been stressful because there are such high expectations placed on us.

“That’s still true, but what has happened recently is that that focus and expectation has been directed at the kids,” he said.

“The (statewide) assessment tests say a student should be achieving at a certain level by the time they’re in the 10th grade,” he said.

But Pedersen said not every productive member of today’s society was necessarily the best student in his or her class.

The increased pressure now placed on students to achieve must be monitored and educators must find a niche for those students who may struggle a little more in the classroom, he said.

And at a school like Woodridge - in one of the more favorable economic areas of Spokane - such pressures can have harmful effects on kids.

“Our kids are fortunate, most of them don’t struggle for the basic necessities,” he said. “But these are the kids of parents who often live fast-paced lifestyles and who are encouraging their kids to achieve.

“There are a lot of unwritten stresses that come with success,” he said.

“And I think this staff and community are always working to address those issues,” he said. “We’ve always got to make sure to work to put that in proper perspective.”