Award-winning Tempe education leader to join ASU Preparatory Academy

Anna Battle, an award-winning teacher, high school principal and school district administrator, will join ASU Preparatory Academy as chief leadership development officer, effective July 1.

Battle joins ASU Prep from the Tempe Union High School District, where she has served 32 years as an educator, including 18 years as an administrator responsible for programs and schools recognized for excellence locally and nationally. She currently serves as assistant superintendent of operations, overseeing Tempe Union’s student affairs, athletics and activities, safety, transportation, maintenance and operations, and sustainability.

“We are exceptionally pleased that Anna Battle will become chief leadership officer with ASU Preparatory Academy,” said Beatriz Rendón, vice president of educational outreach and CEO of ASU Preparatory Academy. “She is a gifted administrator who cares deeply about students. Her energy, ideas and commitment to student success, combined with her extensive executive leadership experience, will greatly help us realize our objectives.”

ASU Prep is an innovative K–12 charter school where teachers, students and families share the same goal: college graduation. Students benefit from a rigorous college preparatory program that includes ASU courses for college credit while students are still in high school, as well as a digital curriculum infused with the acclaimed Cambridge framework, delivered in a personalized, blended-learning format.

In her new role, Battle will manage the leadership development program for faculty and staff across the organization with direct supervision of the site directors at ASU Prep’s 12 ground schools.

“ASU Prep offers students, schools, school districts, and communities education that exceeds the needs of students, with a future focus,” Battle said. “I am excited about working with an exceptional team of educators at ASU Prep. I look forward to creating relationships with them to reach and exceed educational, personal and professional goals,” she added. 

Battle’s preparation for educational leadership began during her 12 years as a special education, reading and English teacher. As a former NCAA All-American athlete in track and field at Arizona State University and a 1984 Olympic Trial qualifier, Battle used her athletic skills to also successfully coach high school volleyball, basketball, track and field, softball and cross country. In 1992, she was honored with the NAACP Education Image Award and received Tempe Union’s Outstanding Teacher Award of Excellence in 1993. 

During her tenure with Tempe Union, Battle advanced to positions of increasing responsibility, pursuing her passion for educational leadership development.

“Leadership matters towards the successful education of students,” Battle said. “I love working on behalf of students and the teachers and staff who support them.” 

As principal of Tempe High School from 2002 to 2006, Battle and her colleagues expanded the school’s successful smaller learning communities for students and used online learning to address the achievement gap. Through these efforts, Battle and her team transformed a diverse, Title I program into a Performing Plus school with increased student enrollment, student achievement and graduation rates. 

Prior to her current position, Battle was principal of Desert Vista High School from 2006 to 2014 — a time when the school earned numerous awards and recognitions including:

• A+ School of Excellence.
• U.S. News and World Report top school in the nation.
• Best college preparatory school by Phoenix Magazine.
• Fine Arts, Theater and Speech and Debate National Championships, and many nationally ranked athletic programs.

As principal of Desert Vista, Battle was recognized with several awards for her outstanding leadership including the 2013 Arizona Interscholastic Association Administrator of the Year Award, 2011 AdvanceEd Arizona Leadership Award and the 2011 Arizona Principal of the Year award presented by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Battle said joining ASU Prep will “provide opportunities for me to continue working with educators to be their best for each child served.” 

“Educational leaders not only lead but also are leaders of learning,” Battle said. “I look forward to learning from the experts and working alongside them to support university goals that foster innovative education for the universal Pre-K–20 student.”  

Returning to her alma mater, Battle earned a doctorate in supervision and administration from ASU.

Written by Joan Sherwood