STE GENEVIEVE — Valle Catholic Schools has announce Dr. Trudy Giasi as the next Principal of Valle Catholic Grade School. Her considerable knowledge and experience will certainly usher in a new era of academic excellence for all of our students. We welcome Dr. Giasi to the Valle Catholic family and look forward to the professional growth she will bring to our community.
Dr. Giasi is excited to bring her expertise in curriculum development and instructional excellence to support our teachers in growing rigor and relevance in the classroom. Her role as a “teacher of teachers” at the University level will certainly be an asset in assisting teachers in their own growth, especially new teachers in their initial years in the classroom. Her nationally-recognized status as a leader of STEM curriculum (STEM is a wholistic educational approach that utilizes the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to create hands-on and interactive lessons with real-world application) will bring exciting possibilities for our students. This hands-on learning that will be a major part of the student experience, especially the introduction of robotics and other practical applications, will be sure to excite our students’ desire for learning. Dr. Giasi’s existing connection to our community through Vincentian Marian Youth will be an asset in her role as a Faith leader in our grade school.
Dr. Giasi, having completed her 18th year in education, is a respected educator and educational leader. She has spent the last five years as a Professor of STEM Education at Southeast Missouri State University in both the Department of Elementary, Early Childhood and Special Education, and the Department of Leadership, Middle and Secondary Education. She has designed and facilitated undergraduate and graduate-level education courses and serves the university, community, and beyond through participation in various educational committees and organizations. In addition, she conducts educational research and presents on topics related to STEM/STEAM education, educational technology, program sustainability and leadership, and professional development.
Dr. Giasi has served in various educational and leadership roles, beginning her career as a middle school science teacher in Columbus City Schools in Ohio. She was then recruited to the district level serving as a leader of curriculum design/implementation and professional development. Throughout her career, she has been involved with program, curriculum, standards, assessment, and partnership development at the school, district, state, and national levels. She has collaborated with several school districts throughout the country as well as state-level education departments to develop cohesive and integrated STEM programming.
Dr. Giasi is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and was named a 2018 Emerging Leader. More recently, she was awarded the 2022 Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE) Educator of Excellence Award, the 2022 Southeast Missouri State University College of Education, Health and Human Studies Teaching Excellence Award, and the 2022 Dr. Julie Ray Teacher Leadership Award. She serves as a member of the SEMO Ed Tech Consortium and a member of the Board of Directors of the Discovery Playhouse in Cape Girardeau, MO, among other national, state, and regional committees. Dr. Giasi is a national EiE Certified Educator Specialist and conducts professional development throughout the U.S. She holds a doctorate degree in Teaching and Learning: STEM Education, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration, a Master of Education in Science Education, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from The Ohio State University.
In addition to her passion for education and STEM, Dr. Giasi is a skilled dancer, choreographer, and musician. She currently serves as the Coordinator of the Southeast Missouri State University Marching Band Color Guard and has choreographed for various award-winning color guard/winter guard groups and theatrical productions in Missouri and Ohio.
Dr. Giasi has been married to her husband of 18 years, Michael, who is the Executive Director of Vincentian Marian Youth SEMO in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. She loves to travel with Michael and her family in her free time.