Dr. Cathy Sork

Dorothy Fox Elementary School
Camas School District
Camas, Washington
[email protected]

Empowered student leadership is the foundation of school culture at Dorothy Fox Elementary, where Cathy Sork has served as principal for 18 years. In addition to traditional opportunities like clubs, helper programs, and student council, Fox students also provide kid-level feedback in student advisory sessions and take a leading role in welcoming new community members as tour guides and ambassadors. By letting students guide the way to a more connected, inclusive school experience, Sork has cultivated a strong sense of belonging among students, staff, and families. Student insights also guide learning at Fox. Using Visual Thinking Strategies, teachers engage students’ visual and cognitive skills as a starting point in the learning process by facilitating discussions about art with open-ended questions. This encourages foundational skill development, including oral and written language fluency, visual literacy, and collaboration, and helps students build the confidence they need to thrive as learners. The school’s innovative, student-centered approaches are bolstered by strong PLCs led by Sork, which use community agreements, regular feedback, and a vertically integrated MTSS to shore up positive behavior and academic success. Sork also encourages teachers to engage in professional co-learning, regularly covering class time through “Literacy Pop-Ins” to allow all teachers the chance to teach and learn from their peers. Sork holds a bachelor’s in K-8 Education, as well as master’s and doctorate degrees from Washington State University.