OSKALOOSA, IOWA — Oskaloosa Community Schools will have a new curriculum leader this fall as
Johanna Cooper is appointed the Interim Director of Teaching and Learning. This position replaces the
curriculum director position held by Angie Hanson with a title change to encompass expanded
responsibilities. Cooper was approved by the Oskaloosa Board of Education in a special meeting on
Wednesday, July 20.
Cooper is currently a part-time prevention specialist at YSS in Ames and will begin working in Oskaloosa
in August. Her background includes state, national, and international experience. Cooper’s educational
background includes serving as an elementary school principal in Ankeny and an Instructional
Coordinator in Texas. She’s also been a Head of School in Thailand and worked as an Academic Director
in Durango, Mexico. Her international experience includes serving on the Abu Dhabi Educational
Council in the United Arab Emirates.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” says Cooper. “I’m really excited to start working and getting to
know the community and the teachers. I want to learn what the students and teachers are hungry for
and work with them to build a curriculum that will impact every student.”
Her top goals in her interim year are to continue to build upon the great things the students and staff
are already working on. She strives to provide strong curriculum leadership and deliver expertise to
grow the district. She will continue to provide professional development for teachers and build strong
professional learning communities (PLCs) within the school.
“I want to give teachers the tools to implement the best curriculum we can in the schools,” notes
Cooper. “I want to work with teachers to be innovative. I want teachers to take risks. Students want
different types of learning, so I want to ensure teachers are connecting with the students and students
are getting what they are asking for.”
“We are excited to have Johanna’s background and experience as part of the Oskaloosa Community
Schools,” says Mike Fisher, superintendent. “We are eager to see how her knowledge and experience
will continue to enhance the Osky school environment to provide high academic achievement for all
kids.”
Cooper was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where her parents still reside. She earned her Bachelor of
Science degree in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico and her Masters of Education in Public
School Administration at Texas A&M University. She is currently working on her Doctorate in Education
at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign studying Educational Policy: Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion. She has two children, a senior at Iowa State University and a sophomore at Ames High

School. Her fiancé has been part of the Oskaloosa for the past seventeen years . She is fluent in Spanish
and speaks Arabic. When she is not working, she enjoys traveling, reading, and cheering for the
Houston Astros baseball team.