Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Conferences/Workshops
Hobbies/Interests
Timeline
Generic

Tara Ritchie

Interlachen,FL

Summary

Well-rounded private school administrator with expertise in curriculum planning, individualized student learning, accomodations, and modifications. Offers student-focused communication skills. Experience leading school administration with proven methods.

Experienced with church administration and pastoral care. Utilizes strong organizational and leadership skills to manage church activities and events. Track record of effectively supporting community outreach and volunteer coordination.

Overview

27
27
years of professional experience

Work History

Church Administration

Hope Baptist Church
12.2022 - Current
  • Supported pastoral staff with administrative tasks, ensuring smooth operation of church activities.
  • Communicated regularly with senior pastoral staff on the progress of church ministries, ensuring alignment with overall church goals and objectives.
  • Managed the church calendar effectively to accommodate various ministries'' activities without conflicts or overlaps.
  • Served as financial secretary/administration, reporting, and documentation functions.
  • Facilitated small group discussions, encouraging deeper connections among church members while fostering spiritual growth.
  • Maintained thorough documentation of all reported incidents, allowing administration to track trends effectively over time and respond accordingly.
  • Managed the day-to-day operations of the church facility, overseeing staff members and budget planning activities.

Principal/Administrator

St. Johns Christian School
06.2016 - 09.2020
  • Researched & learned how to open a Florida private school; to meet the needs of my community (students that learn differently from the "norm")
  • Completed tasks associated with compliance for opening.
  • Administered all facets of personnel policies and procedures, including conception, modification and approval of professional staff additions.
  • Performed classroom evaluations to assess teacher strategies and effectiveness.
  • Initiated after-school clubs to promote student growth and social skills.
  • Oversaw administrative functions such as schedule management and protocols for orientation, registration and related activities.
  • Monitored and evaluated educational programs to maintain high-quality performance objectives and standards.
  • Built productive relationships with parents of students facing difficult situations at school or at home.
  • Communicated policies and procedures to students and parents regarding student behavior.
  • Defined and enforced student academic achievement standards in line with district goals and objectives.
  • Executed human resources operations, including hiring, training, disciplinary action and termination in compliance with legal guidelines and requirements and in accordance with our school/church guidelines.
  • Led meetings to convey policy changes, gather information and assess employee thoughts.
  • Verified adherence to state, federal and private funding source requirements across programs and outcomes.
  • Administered standardized tests to evaluate student performance and progress.
  • Trained teachers on effective teaching techniques, classroom management strategies and behavior modification.
  • Mentored newly hired educators and provided encouragement and feedback.
  • Collaborated with Director to develop functional budgets within each department.
  • Introduced modifications to curriculum and accomodations for students that learn differently.
  • Researched, introduced, and implemented proven, effective instructional techniques to be able to reach/teach students where they are academically.
  • Provided instruction to students in all subject areas when teachers were unavailable.
  • Occasionally, took over class for regular classroom teacher, managing assignments, student needs and recordkeeping.
  • Supervised lunchroom and recess activities.

Administrative Assistant

Lighthouse Christian School
03.2009 - 06.2014
  • Coached new employees on administrative procedures, company policies and performance standards.
  • Supported efficient meetings by organizing spaces and materials, documenting discussions and distributing meeting notes.
  • Managed office inventory by restocking supplies and placing purchase orders to maintain adequate stock levels.
  • Composed internal memos and external correspondence for senior management and reviewed all documentation to eliminate errors.
  • Monitored premises, screened visitors, updated logs and issued passes to maintain security.
  • Interacted with vendors, contractors and professional services personnel to receive orders, direct activities and communicate instructions.
  • Maintained staff directory and company policy handbook for human resources department.
  • Executed record filing system to improve document organization and management.
  • Performed general office duties, including answering multi-line phone system, routing calls, delivering messages to staff and greeting visitors.
  • Welcomed office visitors warmly and alerted staff to arrivals of scheduled appointments.
  • Prepared packages for shipment, pickup and courier services for prompt delivery to customers.
  • Sorted and distributed office mail and recorded incoming shipments for corporate records.
  • Scheduled office meetings and parent/teacher meetings.

Administrative Specialist

American Heritage Academy
08.2003 - 02.2009
  • Handled mail, packages, curriculum, student books, document transmissions and other types of data with both manual and automated tracking strategies.
  • Sorted, opened and routed incoming correspondence and deliveries to the appropriate department.
  • Created and updated physical records and digital files to maintain current, accurate and compliant documentation.
  • Received and submitted customer payments to further reduce open account balances.
  • Interviewed clients by telephone or in-person to gather financial information.
  • Assessed individual students and made targeted recommendations for completing course load to resolve specific situations.
  • Responded to parent concerns and questions about GPA scores and suggestions for improving.
  • Carried out day-day-day duties accurately and efficiently.
  • Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.

Kindergarten/First Grade Teacher

Heritage Christian Academy
08.2000 - 05.2001
  • Arranged parent-teacher conferences to address student progress and collaboratively set goals for areas of improvement.
  • Delivered structured lessons on readiness skills by emphasizing phonics, language skills, literature and handwriting.
  • Reported to parents and administration about student progress.
  • Collaborated in planning, organizing and implementing instructional programs to facilitate academic, intellectual and social development.
  • Played games with students to increase understanding of subjects.
  • Cultivated language skills through use of traditional poems, nursery rhymes and riddles to help students develop comprehension, vocabulary and love of language.
  • Integrated outdoor education into lesson plans.
  • Collaborated with faculty in leading students in Bible, music, seasonal stage performances and chapel.

Daycare Worker

American Daycare
09.1999 - 05.2000
  • Taught children to organize toys, wash hands and share by leading by example.
  • Encouraged good behaviors using positive reinforcement methods.
  • Sanitized dishes, tabletops, toys and frequently touched surfaces to prevent spreading of germs.
  • Meticulously sanitized toys and play equipment.
  • Maintained effective schedule balance between rest periods, active play and instruction.
  • Maintained child-friendly environment with access to outdoor activities.
  • Prepared, served and cleaned up daily meals for 12 children.
  • Monitored entrances and exits to maintain safety and organized environments.
  • Planned and guided age-appropriate tasks like reading, crafts and music.
  • Organized students fall festival; activity booth rotation, entertainment, snacks, prizes, etc.

Kindergarten/First Grade Proctor/Teachers

Oak Forest Baptist Christian Academy
08.1998 - 06.1999
  • Proctored students as they learned from the video teacher
  • Incorporated read-aloud literature to stimulate imagination and build comprehension and vocabulary.
  • Reinforced phonics concept by providing one-on-one instruction
  • Cultivated language skills through use of traditional poems, nursery rhymes and riddles to help students develop comprehension, vocabulary and love of language.
  • Played games with students to increase understanding of subjects.
  • Integrated outdoor education into lesson plans.
  • Observed and assessed student performance and charted progress.
  • Reported to parents and administration about student progress.
  • Identified characteristics, needs, abilities and problems of each child through personal interaction and progress reports to optimize approaches.
  • Exercised good classroom management focused on positive behavior support by clearly articulating fair and consistent expectations along with appropriate natural consequences.

Education

High School Diploma -

Middleburg High School
Middleburg, FL
1996

Skills

  • Florida K-12 Private School Research
  • Requirements and Compliance
  • Community engagement
  • Student and parent relations
  • Lesson Planning
  • Special education (Making Accommodations and/or Modifications)
  • Academic, Staff Supervision
  • Administrative, Teaching
  • Conflict Resolution; Teacher/Student, Staff
  • Documentation/Records Management
  • Event Coordination
  • General office duties
  • Human resources
  • Correspondence
  • Policies/Handbook
  • Progress Tracking
  • Protocols
  • Quality Assurance
  • Budget Creation
  • Operational Planning
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Interpersonal Strengths
  • Student Discipline
  • Standardized Testing
  • Academic Program Management
  • Verbal and Written Communication
  • Group and Individual Instruction
  • Learning Assessments
  • Safety Management
  • Classroom Management
  • Annual Reviews

Conferences/Workshops

A-Beka Principal/Administrators Conference

FACCS Conventions

Secretary/Administrative Training

Florida School Choice Webinars

Step Up For Students Workshop/Webinars

MAP Growth Assessment Round Table discussions

Richard Lavoie Workshops (F.A.T. City; Frustration, Anxiety, Tension)

Bruce Wilkerson's Seven Laws of the Learner

Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences


Hobbies/Interests

Southern Gospel Singing

Self-taught church pianist

Leading and engaging ladies in Bible studies

Sharing our testimony and adoption story

Spending quality time with my family

The mountains


Timeline

Church Administration

Hope Baptist Church
12.2022 - Current

Principal/Administrator

St. Johns Christian School
06.2016 - 09.2020

Administrative Assistant

Lighthouse Christian School
03.2009 - 06.2014

Administrative Specialist

American Heritage Academy
08.2003 - 02.2009

Kindergarten/First Grade Teacher

Heritage Christian Academy
08.2000 - 05.2001

Daycare Worker

American Daycare
09.1999 - 05.2000

Kindergarten/First Grade Proctor/Teachers

Oak Forest Baptist Christian Academy
08.1998 - 06.1999

High School Diploma -

Middleburg High School

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