Kathryn Frazier

Kathryn Frazier has been principal of Lister Elementary School for five years, a program where 92% of students receive free or reduced meals. Two years ago Lister was identified as a school of focus due to low performance by ELL students. In partnership with the Tacoma District and the University of Washington, it became a cohort one participant in the District’s Whole Child Initiative, including community partnerships and implementation of effective multi-tier strategies. As a result, Lister is no longer on the focus list and Frazier was asked to present at the PBIS conference in Seattle. She has taken the lead in developing school-wide data teams, breaking down Common Core Standards and creating formative assessments with a goal of responding within 48 hours to support student learning. Lister now serves as a model for local schools for its data-driven team process. Spearheading the school mission, “preparing each Lister student to be college- and career-ready,” Frazier drives a focus on college preparedness grounded in the belief that every child at Lister is capable of academic success. Recognized by the district and College Success Foundation, Frazier was recently invited to the superintendent’s “State of the Union” address based of her ongoing commitment to building college awareness. She has a B.A. from Western Washington University and Master’s in Education and a Principal and Program Certification from City University, Seattle.