Distinguished Alumnus:
Rita T. Bongarten '98
MS, Curriculum
Dr. Rita T. Bongarten has been an educator for more than 20 years and has served in the roles of teacher, literacy staff developer, Language Arts Curriculum Leader, Assistant Superintendent, School Improvement Director, and Principal. She is currently the principal of Parkwood Elementary School, located in the Research Triangle in Durham, North Carolina.
Bongarten obtained her BA degree in Psychology from Barat College, her WestConn MS degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 1998, and a 6th year certificate in Educational Leadership from SCSU in 2001. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of Connecticut, and her doctoral dissertation research in New York City, studying principals who led high achieving schools, creating a Literacy Leadership model that focuses on student achievement and the implementation of incremental change.
Bongarten is a member of the Pi Lambda Theta, International Honor
Society, and is a past nominee of Teacher of the Year for the Weston,
Connecticut Public Schools. She has made several national, state and local
presentations. Dr. Bongarten is currently writing a book for ASCD entitled,
Literacy Leadership -- Leading With a Sense of Urgency.
