Matthew Willis Named Finalist for Nation's Top Assistant Principal

NEWS RELEASE # 56
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2013

  

Matthew Willis Named Finalist for Nation's Top Assistant Principal
National Winner to Be Announced at NASSP Conference in March

Hinkley High School's Matthew Willis has been selected as a finalist for the 2013 National Association of Secondary School Principals/Virco National Assistant Principal of the Year award. A national winner will be selected from three finalists in March and all state and national honorees will be recognized at an April black-tie gala in Washington, DC.

In the short time since Willis has been at Hinkley, the high-poverty school has experienced a dramatic shift in culture. Willis immediately increased staff presence in the hallways, developed and implemented a stricter attendance policy, and implemented academic and behavioral interventions.

Willis turned to restorative justice to keep students in school and empower them to take ownership of their success. He trained staff in restorative practices and secured funding from The Denver Foundation to facilitate ongoing professional development and implementation. Within the first year, the school conducted 263 restorative sessions and reduced minor offense referrals by 18%.

Willis also worked with staff to create a freshman academy, increase collaboration and overhaul the master schedule. He gave teachers more common planning time and strengthened professional learning communities. He raised student participation in a dual-credit program and steered counselors toward a unified focus on college readiness and acceptance — growing scholarships to over $3.1 million and doubling acceptance rates.

NASSP and school furniture manufacturer Virco Inc. annually honor a winner from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity schools. Selection criteria are built around collaborative leadership; curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and school personalization — the core areas of the NASSP Breaking Ranks Framework for school improvement. The three finalists were selected from the pool of state winners, and one national winner will be identified and announced during the NASSP conference, Ignite 2013, March 1, in National Harbor, MD. Each finalist will receive $1,500 and the national winner will be awarded $5,000, which can be used for personal professional development or for a school improvement project.

 

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