Meet Your New Principal: Mallanie Harris Wants to Connect and Collaborate

“The goal of our district is to connect, collaborate and coach, and my goal here is to make sure that happens,” said Cloverdale Elementary School’s new principal, Mallanie Harris. With more than 14 years of educational experience underneath her belt, Harris this year took her position as the new principal at Moreno Valley Unified School District’s Cloverdale Elementary School. It’s her first experience in this capacity since she began her career in education, but she’s not short of experience in the field. She began teaching English to 7th and 8th graders in Compton around 1997 for nearly two years before teaching in Lynwood and then moving to the Rialto Unified School District in 2005, where she also worked as a Renaissance Learning Coach. For the last six years she worked as an elementary administrator in the Rialto district. She holds an undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism and after college worked as an editorial assistant for a syndicated radio show for a short time before returning to school with the intent to teach. Harris has two master’s degrees, one in education and curriculum, which she received from Chapman University, and a master’s in organizational leadership, which she received from Brandman University. She is currently working toward her PhD in organizational leadership, and is part of the inaugural cohort for the doctoral program at Brandman. Her experiences as a Renaissance coach afforded her the opportunity to work with students of all ages, as well as other administrators; it was in this role that she knew she wanted to pursue educational administration further, she noted. “After being a coach and working with schools throughout the [Rialto Unified] district, it really afforded me the opportunity to work with elementary, middle and high school students. It made me want to be at a physical [school] site and be an encourager; and to create a vision and collaborate with my staff toward that vision,” she said. Having lived in Moreno Valley for the last eight years, she had hoped to work with the district before she was hired by the district this year. This time, the “timing felt right,” she said. “After my interview with the Superintendent, I just felt fantastic. I knew they would place me where I would be a great fit.” Harris admitted she’s still getting used to “the school’s culture and environment,” and looks forward to working with the approximately 60 staff members at the school toward “supporting and increasing student achievement, finding out what the students’ needs are and meeting them, and involving parents in academic decision-making,” she said. Her biggest concern is for her students’ needs, and then she aims to always make herself “an accessible resource to my staff and the parents,” she said. The transition into her role as principal has been easy, she said, thanks to the support of her staff and the students. “Cloverdale is truly a fantastic place to work,” she said. “The staff is incredible and we have a history of longevity here. There’s such a family-feel to this school; we all care for one another, for our students, and for the parents.” Moreno Valley Unified School District Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services, Martinrex Kedziora said, “Mallanie Harris is an example of ‘excellence on purpose.’ Her knowledge of curriculum and instruction, coupled with the ability to build strong personal relationships with all stakeholders, is a winning combination. Harris stated that she wanted to work in the community where she lived. The staff of Cloverdale personally told me that they wanted a principal who would lead them in strategies, high expectations, positive feedback and authentic accountability. They both received their requests.” In her spare time, Harris enjoys spending time with her family and friends in the Los Angeles area, and also tries to live life to the fullest, she said. Some of her most fun activities include whale watching and trapezing, but while she’s at work, she has fun too. “I love coming into work every single day,” Harris said. “I really try to lead by example and learn by experience, but most of all I enjoy being a part of making a difference in our scholars’ lives.”