Franklin School Principal earns doctorate

Rhonda Dunham, Principal at Franklin Elementary School at 215 N. Louisiana, has become the second Cape Public Schools educator in as many months to earn the privilege of using the title "Doctor" in front of her name. (Sydney Herbst, principal at Clippard Elementary, earned her doctoral in July.) Interestingly, Dr. Dunham attended elementary school at Franklin!

Dr. Dunham earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri at Columbia with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She has been employed by the Cape Girardeau School District for the past 14 years.

Dr. Dunham was born and raised in Cape Girardeau. After graduating from Southeast University, she began her teaching career in 1990 at St. Joseph School in Scott City, taught computer science at Washington Elementary and 6th grade at Jefferson Elementary in Cape. She earned a Masters Degree in Elementary and Middle School Administration in 1995, and became Principal at Franklin in 2001.

The former Rhonda Underwood is married to Timothy Dunham and has one son, Billy. Her dissertation is titled "Teacher Perceptions Regarding the Influence of Block Scheduling has on Student Learning as Compared to Traditional Scheduling in Middle School". She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Kappa Delta Phi honor societies. Dr. Dunham was named an "Educator of the Year" by the Cape Chamber of Commerce in 2008.