Sarah Velotta on Tuesday was named the next principal at Audubon Elementary School with an unanimous vote by the AES School-Based Decision Making Council.
Velotta will begin her new role on July 1, replacing Caleb York, who has been named student services coordinator for the Daviess County Public Schools district.
Velotta is currently serving as assistant principal at AES, a position she has held since August 2016. Under her leadership, the school refined professional development for instructional assistants.
Velotta described her philosophy of educational leadership as stewarding her time, talents and resources to serve her school community and propel each student, family, and staff member to success beyond their imagination.
“Audubon Elementary has been my home school for 18 years and I am honored to serve and lead the Audubon community,” she said. “We have amazing, hardworking, caring staff members who go the extra mile on a daily basis. I am looking forward to beginning our next school year and working together as a team to invest in our students and families, providing the best instruction, the best opportunities and the best environment.”
She served as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) coach and worked to begin an assistant principal collaborative group. She also built the school’s master schedule this year, worked to improve recognition of student achievements, and evaluated teachers and instructional assistants.
Velotta earned a bachelor of science degree from Campbellsville University in 2003 and a master’s degree in education from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2007. She earned degrees in administration and educational specialist from the University of the Cumberlands in 2014.
Velotta began her education career as a teacher at Audubon in 2003, teaching 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades before accepting a position as the school’s literacy coach in August 2015. In that role, she trained staff members on the best practices in teaching literacy and collaboratively designed a literacy framework.
Velotta has served on numerous committees at AES. At the district level, she has also been a part of the PBIS Coach Cohort, Response to Intervention (RTI) Committee, and the Literacy Design Collaborative Committee.
Her community involvement includes teaching an 8th- and 9th-grade Sunday School class at her church, participating in community-sponsored fundraising races, volunteering in Pleasant Grove Baptist Church’s Lil’ Sluggers program, co-leading a planning committee for a Lifeway Simulcast Women’s Conference, and writing for her personal blog and a Women’s Ministry newsletter.
“I am grateful for the excellent mentors, supportive staff and loving family and friends in my life who have encouraged me and challenged me to dream big,” Velotta said. “Being a part of the Audubon family has been, and will continue to be, one of my life’s greatest blessings.”
Leslie Peveler, who was recently named DCPS director of elementary education, said Velotta will be a “wonderful” principal for Audubon Elementary.
“(Velotta) has extensive knowledge of strong instructional practice, a genuine passion to lead others, and a commitment to put students first,” Peveler said. “Audubon’s school community has high expectations and Sarah will continue that tradition of excellence. I am excited to work alongside her.”
