Stearley PS: Administrator Bios

Ms. Heather Mildon joined DoDEA as the principal of Ralph Stearley Primary School in August 2022.

Ms. Mildon has served as an elementary school teacher and administrator for the Anchorage School District in Anchorage, Alaska, her hometown, since 1995. Her 27 years of experience include serving as a director with the Elementary Education Division, principal of Chugiak, Orion, and Chester Valley elementary schools, and assistant principal of Sand Lake Elementary School, home to a Japanese language immersion program.

During her tenure with the ASD, Ms. Mildon worked with military families at Orion Elementary on Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson as a kindergarten and primary-grade teacher and as a school principal. She very is excited for the opportunity to again support military-connected children through her work with DoDEA.

Ms. Mildon holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Alaska. She is currently pursuing a Certificate of Advanced Study in Literacy with the University at Albany. Ms. Mildon’s research interests center around language and literacy acquisition and teaching. She is an advocate for social-emotional learning instruction and infusion, and she has taught coursework in Conscious Discipline and CHAMPS for the University of Alaska, Anchorage. Most recently she co-authored a book chapter on self-regulation and its importance: Dettmer, A. M., Clinton, A. B., & Mildon, H. A. (2020). Self-regulation in young children: A skill set for lifetime success. In V. C. Alfonso & G. J. DuPaul (Eds.), Healthy development in young children: Evidence-based interventions for early education.

Her husband, Daniel Barker, is an educational administrator and veteran of the United States Coast Guard. They have two grown sons, Benjamin and Henry.