New vice principal steps up to bat
Mrs. Jane Tompkins steps outside her new office.
September 7, 2011 • By Amy Medeiros
Filed under Top Stories
Long before her days behind a principal’s desk, NDP’s new assistant principal Jane Tompkins was at home behind the catcher’s plate, playing on the first ever intramural softball team at the University of Iowa.
She played softball from the age of 8 all the way through college as a catcher, and the year after she graduated, an official women’s softball team was introduced.
This is not the first time she has served as a high school vice principal. Although Phoenix is new for Mrs. Tompkins, Arizona is not. Mrs. Tompkins was vice principal at St. Augustine’s Catholic High School in Tucson two years ago. Besides holding this position, she also taught Advanced Placement British Literature there.
As assistant principal at NDP, Mrs. Tompkins said she plans to “lay low” the first year in order to observe what the school is like. She said she looks forward to getting to know the campus, which is bigger than what she’s used to, and meeting the students, making every effort to be out of her office during passing periods and breaks.
Interaction with students is her favorite part of her job, she said.
Not only is she an experienced vice principal, she has been a principal of a K-8 elementary school – and she herself went to Catholic school. She grew up in Iowa City, Iowa, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in both English and secondary education from University of Iowa. Mrs. Tompkins taught for two years, as required by Iowa law, before earning her master’s in educational leadership from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. She currently is working toward her PhD in education through the University of Iowa.
She lived in Davenport for 30 years with her husband and children. While living and teaching in Davenport, she also coached softball.
In her free time, Mrs. Tompkins also likes to walk, play golf, and read.
“[I] read way more than I should. I try to read 25 books a summer!”
Although she fell short of her goal this summer, only reading 23 books, she affirms that she is big fan of the classics.
Last year, Mrs. Tompkins was vice principal at St. Joseph’s Catholic K-8 School in Hazel Green, Wis. At NDP, she replaces Mr. Preston Colao, who is now principal at Blessed Pope John XXIII Catholic K-8 School.
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