PPISD Welcomes New Superintendent Mr. Eric Cederstrom

The PPISD school board named Eric J.Cederstrom as Norma Yates successor.

Cederstrom comes to PPISD from his role as principal at Shady Grove Elementary, a second and third grade campus in Burnet, Texas, where he worked for almost two years.

At Burnet Consolidated ISD, he has also served in leadership roles as part of the district’s administrative hiring team, site-based decision-making team and the math adoption committee team.

Currently, he also serves as the elementary principal board member for the Texas School Safety Center – a 2004 appointment by Gov.Rick Perry.

Cederstrom started as the new PPISD superintendent on July 1. He and his wife “for 10 wonderful years,” Bonnie Lyn Terrell, are in the process of selling and locating a place to purchase in Palo Pinto County.

“I look forward to hitting the ground running,” he said.

At Shady Grove Elementary, Cederstrom’s experience included leading the transition, in the special education realm, from a “discrepancy model” to the “response to intervention model.”

“It’s a statewide initiative, but has been quite a transition,” he said.

He explained that the special education model looks at intervening with students considered “at risk” by providing assistance and support as a process instead of having a one-time assessment determining that a student is considered as special education.

“One of the biggest things working in Burnet is being a part of the community, working with families and working with kids and teachers to be successful,” said Cederstrom.

He added that his biggest message is, “I’m excited to work for the community to provide leadership and to remove obstacles so the children can be successful. And I look forward to working with the board to chart that path.”

A native of Bismarck, N.D., Cederstrom attended Texas Tech University for his master’s degrees in elementary education and educational leadership and for his superintendent certification.

From 1993 through 2006, he worked in Lubbock ISD as a third grade teacher and a fifth grade reading and language arts teacher at Harwell Elementary and as instructional specialist and then principal for five years at Tubbs Elementary Magnet School.

Cederstrom is a member of the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association and the Burnet Rotary Club.

He has served as president of the Lubbock Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association and board member and chair of the Lubbock Teachers Federal Credit Union Supervisory Board.

Also in Lubbock, Cederstrom served as Texas Education Agency District 17 representative for the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills Review Board for third grade reading. He was a committee member of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association Board, an Eisenhower Grant Math Mentor Program recipient and served on the St. John’s United Methodist Church Arts and Lectureship Series.

PPISD is a single-school district comprised of 78 students and 23 staff.

When Yates announced her retirement in January as PPISD leader, she said, “In a small district, you have to wear many hats.”

A superintendent in a district this size also serves as the district’s chief financial officer, human resources manager, public relations officer, federal and state grant and program administrator, food service coordinator, facilities manager, safety coordinator and Integrated Pest Management coordinator, “just to name a few,” Yates said in January.

In addition to implementing several new academic programs during her tenure as superintendent, PPISD received the two highest ratings awarded by TEA for academic excellence, receiving “exemplary” in eight out of the last 10 years and “recognized” the other two years.

“[Being] an exemplary district for many years is a good standard to start with. I’m honored that they have chosen me and very excited to take on this challenge,” Cederstrom said of his upcoming role at PPISD.