Alex Robertson, Kiser Elementary Principal

October is National Principals Month! This is a great time to thank our principals for all of their hard work to keep our schools running smoothly and to help our students achieve. Our last principal is Alex Robertson of Kiser Elementary.

“I’ve had the privilege to serve as an employee of Dayton Public Schools for the past 25 years. This is my first year as Principal of Kiser Elementary School. In the past, I’ve taught at Jane Addams Elementary, Edison Elementary and Fairview Middle Schools as a 4th, 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade teacher. I worked as a math and literacy coach, Director of the Assessment, Accountability, and Research Department, and served as the Assistant Principal at Kiser for the past two years.

What I love most about being a principal is seeing the excitement and endless possibilities on the faces of our “Kiserific” students. I am also humbled by the opportunity to assist the dedicated teachers who have truly invested and committed to this “ministry” of educating children.

My vision for Kiser is for every child to strive to reach their full potential. My goal is to create a culture that confronts and dismisses falsehoods that surround educating low performing students. In order for us to effectively educate minority and diverse youths who live in poverty, we must completely invest in the students we serve, thus providing them with the necessary knowledge, attributes and interpersonal skills, to fully understand that education and positive relationships are the cornerstones that will lead them to a brighter future.

What motivates me is my aspiration to make a difference in the lives of my students I serve each day! It is my responsibility to always provide guidance as they strive to find their purpose in life while dealing with adverse childhood experiences daily. My motivation is validated when I see students rise to the occasions and expectations that my teachers and I have placed before them to ensure they are on the right path to success.

An interesting fact that people don’t know about me that I seldom share is my talent as a basketball player which afforded me a full athletic scholarship to the University of Dayton (UD). During my remarkable career at UD as a student-athlete, I was fortunate to accomplish many highlights that include holding the current record as the all-time leader in steals in the school’s history. Although I never let basketball define me as a person, I am grateful and humbled by the experiences I had during my academic and athletic career at University of Dayton.