Education leadership cohorts turn Idaho teachers into Idaho administrators

Savannah Fritz ’06, ’25, an English teacher at Meridian High School, wanted to make a change.

A 20-year veteran of the West Ada School District, she wanted to position herself to enter education administration while staying in, or near, the high school she not only teaches in, but attended.

As a member of the Vandal Family, she also knew who she should contact to help her make that change — U of I’s College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (EHHS).

Fritz recently obtained her master of education - educational leadership degree, one of 17 participants of a two-year cohort designed for West Ada teachers and support staff to earn their graduate degrees online while preparing for administrative openings in that school district.

“We call this a ‘grow your own’ program,” said Bethani Studebaker, director of assessment and accreditation in EHHS’s Department of Leadership and Counseling. “The need in Idaho for trained administrators is really significant right now, which is why we’ve created cohort options within our master of education program. We’re constantly having conversations with school districts across the state about putting cohorts together for them whenever they are ready.”

Growing with the school district

Fritz said a light switch flipped in her head when she realized that as a teacher, she wasn’t positioned to address her concerns about the job. To do that effectively, she would need to be an administrator.

“Things like teacher turnover, mentoring programs and making sure teachers have everything they need to be successful,” she said. “I want to solve problems instead of just bringing them up. I realized I needed to have a seat at the table.”

Once she gains that seat, she’ll advocate for her priorities, such as talking with teachers about what is and isn’t working for them and making sure they know she will be their advocate.

“I worked as a mentor teacher before and I want to play a similar role for all teachers,” she said.

Jill Ayabei, ’25, currently a coordinator at West Ada after being a district coordinator in the Nampa School District for five years, went through the master’s degree program with Fritz.

No stranger to making and keeping relationships with educators and administrators in the Treasure Valley area, Ayabei’s favorite part of the cohort was collaborating with people she already knew.

“Teachers teach together,” she said. “Using the expertise and experience from everyone in the room is extremely important in this job.”

Ayabei also noted that relationships and familiarity between administrators and potential job candidates is another benefit of the U of I cohort.

West Ada recently created a new administrative position at 17 of their schools called Deans of Student Achievement (DOSAs), entry-level administrators who will assist both teachers and principals. Ayabei said three people in her cohort were hired as DOSAs.

According to Studebaker, the timing of the cohorts is meant to coincide with each school district’s anticipated need for current or future job openings.

“We don’t want to be training individuals then not have enough jobs for them,” she said. “We rely on our district partners to tell us what their needs are, then we will put a cohort together to help them fill those needs.”

Pathways

When Iris Chimburas ’05 was named principal at Coeur d ‘Alene Tribal School, she knew she was only the second current Native American principal in Idaho — mainly because the first, D’Lisa Penney at Lapwai High School, is her cousin.

A member of the Nez Perce Tribe and Santee Sioux Nation, Chimburas has embraced her family’s commitment to Native education — currently with Penney and, historically, going back to her grandfather. A tribal chairman for the Flandreau (S.D) Santee Sioux for over 25 years, he led his tribe’s purchase of a local school for tribal education.

She sees becoming the principal at Coeur d’Alene Tribal School, which is owned by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, as continuing her family’s legacy.

“My ultimate goal has always revolved around Indian education,” she said. “Our grandparents, our parents opened up these pathways for us. It’s our time and place to step into these roles.”

Chimburas is currently participating in one of the two cohorts being done for U of I’s Indigenous Knowledge for Effective Education Program (IKEEP), where she will obtain principal certification in Spring ’26. Established in 2016, IKEEP prepares and certifies educators to meet the unique needs of Native American students in K-12 schools through tailored bachelors, masters, and professional development pathways.

Joining Chimburas at Coeur d’Alene Tribal School is Fredina Tapaha ’25. A member of the Navajo Nation, she is the school’s Indigenous Restorative Practices Coordinator and Vice Principal.

“I will focus on whole-person healing — opening your mind to new perspectives,” Tapaha said. “It’s about understanding who they are through stories, songs and culturally based practices and using that knowledge for healing.”

Tapaha taught dual credit classes at Moscow High School and Lakeside High School in Plummer while pursuing her master's in teaching with certification in secondary education degree. She is currently in the same cohort with Chimburas, seeking principal certification along with an educational specialist in educational leadership degree.

Another member of a current IKEEP cohort, Natalie Peterson ’25 became the first member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to finish the IKEEP program at U of I — an impressive feat for someone who only applied to college because her best friend did.

Growing up on the Spokane Tribe of Indians reservation, Peterson felt her circumstances precluded going to college. After several stops, re-starts and major changes — as well as joining IKEEP — she realized education was where she fit.

With her degree in elementary education, Peterson started teaching at Lakeside Elementary in Plummer this fall. She will complete her master's in educational leadership with an emphasis in special education in Spring ’27.

“I want to show that example of pushing forward and to never stop learning,” she said.