Aurora Heights Elementary

Welcome to Aurora Heights Elementary School!

My name is Jim Gilbert and I am extremely excited to be principal at Aurora Heights. I have served as an educator for forty years. This will be my nineteenth year working in Newton. Here are some facts about me:

Born: Cleveland, Ohio

B.A. Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa

M.A. University of Iowa

Administrative License, Drake University

Married to Kim and have two sons, Ryan and David

Hobbies: Running 5Ks, baseball, fishing, canoeing, camping, playing board games and making maple syrup

Favorite children’s author for kids this age: Gary Paulson

Favorite Professional Sports Teams: Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals

Favorite College Teams: Iowa State Cyclones, University of Iowa Hawkeyes

Favorite Dessert: Blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream

Inspiring People: Jesus Christ, John F. Kennedy, my dad, Lewis and Clark, and Lou Gehrig

Fears: Heights (looking out of windows in very tall buildings or riding the Ferris wheel)

Interests: Discovering ways to help people, studying history and learning about new places and cultures.

Beliefs about education:

Teaching happens when the student gets it.