(Harrisburg, Pa.) — Rebecca L. Stanfield, principal of Troy Middle School in the Troy Area School District, Troy, Pa., recently assumed the presidency of the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PA Principals Association), headquartered in Summerdale, Pa.

PA Principals Association’s membership of approximately 4,000 is comprised of elementary, middle level and secondary school principals, assistant principals and other educational leaders and is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Ms. Stanfield took over the association reins from 2008-09 President David G. Bieri, principal of Charles Sumner Elementary School in the Scranton School District, following the association’s annual business meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009 during the 17th annual PA Principals Association conference in State College (Oct. 4-6, 2009).

“I am both pleased and honored to represent PA Principals Association as the president. I have benefitted from PA Principals Association through expert advice, superb professional development and networking with some of the country’s finest principals. I look forward to serving Pennsylvania’s principals, and I welcome their input into how we can continue to keep Pennsylvania at the forefront of student learning, while supporting school leaders and the numerous challenges they face every day.”

Ms. Stanfield began her education career as a sixth-grade teacher in the Cumberland County Schools in North Carolina. She then she became the gifted/talented director of Towanda School District followed by the assistant principal at Towanda High School.

Ms. Stanfield joined PA Principals Association eight years ago. Most recently, she the served association as the 2008-09 President-Elect. Before taking this position, she served as PA Principals Association’s Central I Secondary Regional Representative on the Board of Directors (since 2005). She also served as co-chair of the program committee on the PA Principals Association Conference Committee (2007, 2009). Since 2008, Ms. Stanfield has served as the advisor to the board of directors for the Bob D. Schiller Memorial Cancer Research and Support Award.

In addition, Ms. Stanfield has had an article published in the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary School Principals’ Perspective newsletter. She was also the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Cohort (2006-2007) and the Pennsylvania Corollary Standards Cohort (2007-Present).

Ms. Stanfield received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Mansfield University, and a master’s in school leadership and superintendent’s certificate from Marywood University in Scranton.

She resides in Ridgebury, Pa., with her husband, Rodney, and sons, Jarod and Carson.

PA Principals Association’s Mission: To ensure a quality education for every child by comprehensively supporting the educational leaders of our schools.

PA Principals Association’s Vision: To be the best service organization of its kind in the United States.1