THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408090167
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: COVER STORY
BACK TO SCHOOL
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Birthdate: April 4, 1961
Hometown: New York City
Family: Husband, Medicus; two daughters, Lorene Hoffler, 7, Nia Imani Riddick, 17 months
Pets: A Rottweiler puppy, Osiris.
Education: Bachelor of arts in science and biology from Lincoln University, Oxford, Pa.; master of science in education from Old Dominion University.
Previous position: Assistant principal at Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach. Began career as a teacher in 1984 at Blair Middle and also taught at Norview Middle and Booker T. Washington. She taught physics, biology, math, physical science and general math. She also has taught at Norfolk State University's Upward Bound program.
Goals: ``My goal is to have persons come to visit Ruffner not just because we are a leader in education technology, in terms of a facility, but because of what we'll be doing in instruction. I intend to put the facility on the map for innovative instruction. There's not another school on the East Coast that's like Ruffner.''
Obstacles: ``One would be coming in and actually articulating my vision to my faculty and staff and the community at large, and also adequately marketing Ruffner Middle to let this immediate community know just what we have to offer. There will be those who question my age or their perception of my experience on whether I can do this job. I don't have any doubts that I will be able to do the task before me as long as I have support from my faculty and staff and the parents and students we serve.''
Proudest accomplishment as an educator: ``When Norfolk Public Schools selected me to participate in the Danforth Tidewater Principal Preparation Program. As a result of my involvement, I not only earned my master in science degree, I've been able to move from the classroom to a principalship fairly quickly.''
Hobbies: Jazz, collecting ethnic art and antiques, reading, playing cards and entertaining and socializing.
Book you'd recommend: Professionally, ``Savage Inequities,'' by Jonathan Kozol; personally, ``Measure of Our Success ... A Message To Our Children. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Pamela Hoffler-Riddick
KEYWORDS: PROFILE
by CNB