Robert Effa Jr.

Robert C. Effa Jr.

Grant Elementary School
Grant School District
Redding, California
reffa@grantschoolcougars.com

Robert C. Effa Jr. believes “a productive school is one that has a clear vision.” This philosophy is evident in Effa’s seven years as principal of Grand Oaks Elementary School, where he has rallied stakeholders to articulate and carry out a vision for the school that centers learning and wellness for all students. After being introduced to trauma-informed research and practices through participation in an RTI training, Effa mobilized his team to transform the support that Grand Oaks provides to its 240 students, over 80 percent of whom receive free or reduced-price meals. This process led to an overhaul of the school’s master schedule to pro-vide tiered instruction and integrate daily interventions and enrichment. Effa created complementary Academic, Attendance, and Behavioral Support Teams to use student data to strategize individualized support for a student body facing increasing barriers to success. In addition to yielding significant academic gains, these efforts have led to a dramatic decrease in disciplinary referrals and have cut suspensions by an impressive 65 percent. Effa is active in community athletics leadership and is a cofounder of Shasta County Teachers Consortium, which has served as a vehicle to share Grand Oaks’ successes and increase local access to professional development for educators. Effa recently accepted a position as the new Principal/Superintendent of Grant Elementary School/District in Redding, CA. He holds an M.P.A. from National University, as well as Administrative Services credentials and a B.S. in Biology and Natural Resources from Humboldt State University.