Paul Upchurch, principal of Centerfield Elementary School in Crestwood, works to "promote a child-centered school environment and to provide the kind of leadership that encourages teachers to accept the challenge of continuous personal development." At Centerfield Elementary School, Mr. Upchurch has introduced several reading programs, including the "Centerfield Cruiser" and "Bedtime Stories." The "Centerfield Cruiser" is a twelve-foot sailboat built by inmates at a local prison; it is located in the school's media center in an aquatic setting created by the students. The boat serves as the centerpiece for many school activities that celebrate the act of reading. Mr. Upchurch has also initiated school programs that have resulted in an outdoor classroom and an environmental science center and in the implementation of nongraded, multi-age classrooms. In 1990, under Mr. Upchurch's leadership, Centerfield Elementary School was named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.
1975 Western Michigan University, B.A. University of Louisville, M. A. and Rank 1
