Slain Connecticut principal

remembered as energetic, positive,

passionate
By Michael Martinez, CNN
(CNN) -- Principal Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung just entered a Ph.D. program. he led a school
district!s strategic planning panel. he won a national school grant. he could "e #a tough
lady in the right sort of sense,# a friend said.
$mong it all, she found time to smile and e%uded memora"le enthusiasm.
&he longtime educator!s career seemed to "e pea'ing when she "ecame principal two years
ago of andy Hoo' (lementary chool in Newtown, Connecticut, which has )*) pupils from
'indergarten to fourth grade.
+n ,riday, Hochsprung, -., was fatally shot inside her school in a massacre that 'illed fi/e
other adults and *0 students. &he shooter 'illed himself1 his mother was found dead in a
Newtown house, said a law enforcement source with detailed 'nowledge of the in/estigation.
Hochsprung was an affa"le "ut serious leader, recalled &om Prunty, a friend whose niece
goes to andy Hoo' and was uninjured ,riday.
hare your tri"utes
#he was really nice and /ery fun, "ut she was also /ery much a tough lady in the right sort
of sense,# Prunty said. #he was the 'ind of person you!d want to "e educating your 'ids.
$nd the 'ids lo/ed her.
#(/en little 'ids 'now when someone cares a"out them, and that was her,# he said.
Hochsprung majored in special education for her "achelor!s and master!s degrees in the
2330s, and she rose through the ran's, wor'ing in elementary, middle and high schools in
Connecticut!s small communities.
&he Connecticut Board of (ducation appointed Hochsprung as andy Hoo'!s principal on
4une 3, *020. he came to Newtown with 2* years of administrati/e e%perience, including as
a principal in 5egional chool District 2- ser/ing the Connecticut communities of Bethlehem
and Dan"ury, the Newtown Bee reported.
$t home in 6ood"ury, Connecticut, Hochsprung was "usy raising two daughters and three
stepdaughters.
Comforting sur/i/ors7 !Hug them! and !cry with them!
he also do/e into her wor', 8uic'ly asserting her leadership and implementing a num"er of
initiati/es affecting the school!s nearly .00 students from a"out )00 families.
+ne of them was o/erseeing the installation of a new security system re8uiring e/ery /isitor
to ring the front entrance!s door"ell after the doors loc'ed at 3790 a.m. :f they were "u;;ed
into the front office, parents would "e as'ed for photo identification.
Hochsprung also /olunteered to "e co-chairman of a strategic planning commission for the
school district, said cott Clayton, former assistant principal at Newtown High chool, who
left this year to "ecome a principal in another district.
&he commission post is a weighty, important jo", said Clayton, who wor'ed with Hochsprung
on the panel.
#he was e%tremely passionate. $nd she was especially dedicated to and 'nowledgea"le
a"out curriculum,# Clayton said. #&his was a deep loss for the community.#
Last summer, Hochsprung was one of 2) educators accepted into the doctorate program at
(ste/es chool of (ducation at the age Colleges in New <or', the college said.
he was the first person from Connecticut accepted into the *.-month program, said Dean
Lori =. >uigley.
?assacre lea/es many as'ing, !6here!s @odA!
Hochsprung made the "iggest impression of the group with her smile and enthusiasm,
>uigley said.
#he was truly a caring administrator,# >uigley said, adding Hochsprung was proud to
represent her school.
:n *022, Hochsprung won a school grant called haring the Dream from the National
$ssociation of (lementary chool Principals. &he grant creates glo"al awareness in schools
and international learning communities.
he proudly posted notes and photos on her &witter account a"out her school!s acti/ities.
#etting up for the andy Hoo' nonfiction "oo' pre/iew for staff ... Common Core, here we
comeB# she wrote on &hursday, her most recent tweet. $ photo depicted se/eral children!s
"oo's, including #$lligator or CrocodileA How Do <ou CnowA#
$nother photo shows a choir of "oys and girls dressed in white shirts and "lac' pants or
s'irts "eing led "y the music teacher. &he audience was all students.
How do we stop the /iolenceA
#andy Hoo' students enjoy the rehearsal for our -th grade winter concert - a talented group
led "y ?aryrose Cristopi'B# Hochsprung tweeted 6ednesday. Cristopi' is listed as music
teacher on the school!s we"site.
+n her principal!s page of the school we"site, Hochsprung emphasi;es the school!s #rich
history of esta"lishing high e%pectations and sustaining strong academic performance.#
#+ur 5esponsi/e Classroom approach focuses on the "enefits of a climate of 'indness and
respect where all community mem"ers feel accepted, important, and secure,# Hochsprung
wrote.
:n her two years at andy Hoo', the principal came across as a #/ery well-li'ed,
compassionate woman# who was #e%tremely helpful,# said $imee ea/er, a mother of a first
grader.
Hochsprung "rought positi/e energy, sincerity and a strong wor' ethic to the jo" -- 8ualities
that will "e sorely missed, added ea/er.
#: ne/er saw her without a smile,# ea/er said. #: "elie/e she had the children!s "est
intentions Din mindE all the time. he was always loo'ing out for them.#
A terrible shooting happened in Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary school.
Principal Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung was shot during the shooting. People would say she
was a kind person who means well. She maored in special education and was only
principal at this elementary for ! years before she died. Hochsprung did her best to
succeed in life while caring for many others. She was one of the "# educators who got
accepted into the doctorate program at Este$es School of Education. %n !&""' she won a
school grant called Sharing the Dream. She was o$erall ust a good hearted person.
(his article shows leadership because Hochsprung was a good leader' being
principal of Sandy Hook Elementary. )Hochsprung was an affable but serious
leader*+Prunty,. She ga$e her best effort at her schooling and work. She was also a leader
because she had to be a role model for the children she was around e$eryday. )She was
really nice and $ery fun' but she was also $ery much a tough lady in the right sort of
sense+Prunty,. She tried her best to achie$e and always had a good attitude while trying
to lead these kids toward the right direction.