Ellen Hopkins and Dorothy Dodds Elementary Schools welcome new administrative staff for the 2022-23 school year.
Ellen Hopkins Elementary
Ellen Hopkins Elementary welcomes Amanda Mix as assistant principal. Mix has 16 years of experience in education, coming to Moorhead from Bemidji. She is excited to be a part of Moorhead Area Public Schools. Mix says, "I strive to motivate all learners to embrace their inner "awesomeness" by focusing on their goals in achieving daily success and self-worth.”
Mix graduated from Gustavus Adolphus with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She received her master’s degree from Bemidji State and a specialist degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Mix spent one year out of college in Burnsville as a resource/title teacher and then spent the last 15 years in Bemidji most recently serving in the role of support specialist of district multi-tiered systems.
Dorothy Dodds Elementary
Principal Robin Grooters retired after 34 years at Moorhead Area Public Schools. Nancy Wilson will take over as principal. She joined the team at Dorothy Dodds in 2016 as assistant principal.
Benjamin Jystad-Spar joins Dorothy Dodds as assistant principal. He comes to Moorhead Area Public Schools from Fargo Public Schools where he most recently served as dean of students at Discovery Middle School. He has many years of experience in the elementary classroom as well as title one math.
Jystad-Spar completed his undergraduate work at Concordia College in Moorhead and his masters degree at Concordia University in St. Paul along with a specialist degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Outside of school, he enjoys spending time outdoors, summers at the lake and watching hockey, especially the MN Wild. He lives in the F/M area with his wife and five children.