A Ketchikan principal is one of three finalists for a national award.
Earlier this year, Schoenbar Middle School Principal Sheri Boehlert was named Alaska’s Principal of the Year by a statewide association of principals. Now, she’s in the final running for National Middle School Principal of the Year. The title is given out by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Boehlert has taught in Ketchikan her entire career, first as a teacher and principal at Point Higgins Elementary. And then as the Schoenbar Principal for nearly a decade. While she led Point Higgins, the school received a national Blue Ribbon award for excellence in public education.
Boehlert said that she is focused on using data to change their approach to education.
“So, we really have been moving towards becoming a true ‘middle school,’ which really focuses on building connections, building relationships, not only student-to-student, but student-to-teacher, student-to-school, to the community, school-to-parents, really kind of developing an approach that really supports the whole student,” Boehlert said during an interview in February.
Ronn Nozoe leads the National Association of Secondary School Principals. He said in a statement that Boehlert and the other finalists have found creative ways to meet the challenges facing the modern education system. Nozoe referenced research from the Wallace Foundation that found that students with effective principals gain up to three months of additional learning on average every year.
The winner will be announced at a gala in Seattle in July. Boehlert will also head to Washington, D.C. this fall to represent Alaska at a national summit for school principals.
