Assistant Principal

Hello!  I am Ruth Ann Marks and I am extremely excited to return to Cactus Medical, Health, and Technology Magnet Academy as one of your Assistant Principals.  I have been a dedicated educator with Palmdale School District for 26 years.  I began my career with Palmdale School District as a Special Education Instructional Aid in August 1997 while attending California State University at Bakersfield and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts in the spring of 2000. I taught grades 5 and 6 at Cimarron Elementary School for 6 years and 7th and 8th grade Social Studies at Mesa Intermediate then Cactus Middle School and earned the Teacher of the Year Award in 2017.  I left the classroom in June 2019 but stayed at Cactus Medical, Health, and Technology Magnet Academy as the Magnet Support Teacher to continue the implementation of the MSAP Grant until its conclusion in June 2022 and was instrumental in Cactus earning Magnet Schools of America Accreditation in 2022.  Throughout the years, I have actively participated in and contributed to various committees and served as an Administrative Intern at Cactus.  I joined the Palmdale School District Leadership Team in July 2022 after earning my Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from California State University at Bakersfield, receiving the CSUB - AV Educator Administration Outstanding Candidate award.

As a wife, mother to three adult children, and also having a granddaughter I truly believe each day brings new opportunities and challenges to teach us and to build our strength of character.  With each new school year students can step into a world of endless possibilities and discoveries, and each day holds the promise of new adventures, new friendships, and new knowledge. I like to remind students that every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow stronger. 

At Palmdale School District, we strive to ensure a safe and nurturing learning environment for all our students. We all can learn from one another, and build on our strengths, and our cultural differences are beneficial to the learning process.  Students benefit and excel when parents, teachers, staff, and administrators work together.  Parental involvement increases student achievement and enriches the school community.  Together we can make meaningful strides to prepare your child for the 21st Century.  Let’s team together to provide meaningful learning and rich educational experiences.  I look forward to meeting and working with you.