Jill Ridder has dedicated her career to increasing teacher leadership and preparing students for purposeful, bright futures. As principal of Woodbine Elementary School, Ridder is no stranger to this community. In fact, she’s making a transformative impact on education in her hometown: in addition to the overall growth in reading and math proficiency, over 75% of Woodbine Elementary’s students are performing at least a year above grade level in reading or math.
Ridder—previously a fifth grade teacher, preschool teacher, and school-based interventionist—harnesses her diverse experiences to inform her leadership of Woodbine Elementary. Aligning to the district’s priority on personalized, competency-based learning, every Woodbine student has an individualized plan and can study a range of interests, including STEM, dance, culinary arts, 3D printing, and more. The system is supported by PLCs, planning, intervention, and co-teaching incorporated into the school schedule.
Leading by example, Ridder mentors new staff along with other principals in the area through the district’s principal leadership committee, and directs special education for grades pre-K through 12. She emphasizes collaboration and invests time to attend PLCs and maintain a presence in classrooms. Ridder leads professional development and creates tracking documents for teachers to monitor student growth and institute effective intervention.
Ridder actively communicates with parents, students, and community members. She helped strengthen the parent teacher organization, is a member of the Building Blocks Academy Board, and serves as the in-school daycare director. She is the familiar voice on the school’s daily announcements and can often be found in the hallways interacting with students.
Ridder earned a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2009 and a Master of Science in educational leadership from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2016.
Press Release: Milken Educator Award Comes to Woodbine, Iowa, to Celebrate Local Principal
