By Anne “AJ” Perrin
Note: This is third in a series of articles on the five principals in CdT.
So enthused the words tumbling from her mouth, Principal Margaret Steuer couldn’t emphasize enough what a wonderful staff and students she interfaces with on a daily basis at Corona Foothills Middle School. Her school is made up of the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades and she has been head-honcho there since the school’s building completion in 2005.
Originally from Chicago, Margaret decided to find a warmer climate and eventually arrived here. She was employed at Print Shop Resources which, happily, brought her into the company of many children and she loved it. She decided to cash in her retirement savings, return to school, and there she found her right place in life. Her husband Andy is both a fine and a commercial artist and works from home, so he has been the primary caretaker of their son Andrew, born in September, 1995. Having finished her bachelor’s degree at the University of Arizona in 1992, she began teaching in Vail. By 1995, she finished her Master of Arts Degree in Language, Reading, and Culture at the University of Arizona as well.
They chose to live in a small house for their small family here in Corona, finding this more rural area to their liking, feeling connections are stronger, and that residents are more willing to help each other. Ironically, she finds, has also carried over to her school.
Margaret knew she was only interested in a small school system and only interviewed with Vail and Rio Rico. Vail called her back first and she immediately found the atmosphere and attitude of the people in Vail to her strong liking. She was surprised to find they wanted her to be Vail’s third 6th grade teacher, thinking younger children were her preference. But she fell in love with that age group and later became an assistant principal, before being appointed principal at Old Vail Middle School. In 2005, she became the first and only principal for Corona Foothills Middle School for a total of 27 years as an educator!
She was extremely impressed that Calvin Baker, the superintendent of the Vail School District, makes it a point to personally interview each new applicant for a teaching position in our school system. Margaret has an immense respect for Mr. Baker and his philosophy for heading up the school district. She thinks that, even though the system has grown greatly, it still has the feel of a small school district and that everyone goes out of their way to help any others with whom they work or teach or involve with in their daily schedules.
