About me
Dr. Stevens was educated in Gary, Indiana and graduated from West Side High School in 1982. She obtained her Bachelor of Art from Iowa State University, her Master of Science in Education from Purdue University and her Doctorate in School Administration from Indiana State University. Her research focuses on the Impact of Cultural Competency on Human Development. She holds several educational licenses that include: Teacher, K-12 Building School Administration, Career and Technical Education Director and Superintendent. Sarita is a proficient school administrator with over two decades of experience at the school and district leadership levels.
Her areas of educational expertise include school leadership, communications/public relations, curriculum and instruction, federal programs, strategic planning and business/community partnership development. Sarita began her career in education as a high school teacher in the Gary Community Schools. She eventually served as the Director of Communications for the Gary Community Schools for 12 years. She went on to become Principal/Director of Thea Bowman Leadership Academy where she successfully implemented a school improvement plan that resulted in the highest graduation rate in the city. Under her leadership, the school was awarded the prestigious Bronze Metal by U.S. News and World Reports for maintaining a 94% graduation and 85% college admission rate.
Dr. Stevens moved forward to the Elkhart Community School Corporation in 2016 where she served in the capacities of Executive Principal and eventually as the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services. She is credited for facilitating an at-risk student program that drastically reduced expulsions and improved graduation rates. Her department implemented district wide professional development in Trauma Informed Care, Trust Based Relational Intervention and
Equity efforts.
Dr. Stevens currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent for the South Bend Community Schools where she oversees several departments. She and her late husband, Barry Stevens are the proud parents of three children, Arriel, Darius and Jairus.
