MSSAA Selects Three Massachusetts Principals of the Year.

FRANKLIN, Mass. -- Three Massachusetts educators have been selected for national recognition as Principals of the Year by Met Life and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) it was announced. They are:

--Robert Gay, Principal, North Attleboro High School

--Juan Rodriquez, Principal, Fuller Middle School, Framingham

--Leo Hogan, Assistant Principal, Needham High School 

The program annually recognizes secondary school leaders who demonstrate exemplary skills in educational leadership, resolving complex problems, providing continued professional growth for self and others and service to their community. The three educators will be recognized at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association (MSSAA) in Falmouth this summer.

In addition they will attend a three day Principals Institute in Washington, D.C. where they will have an opportunity to share their experience and expertise with school administrators from throughout the country and national leaders in education. They are also candidates for selection as National Principal of the Year.

Mr. Guy has been principal at North Attleboro High School since 2001, after serving in a similar position at Whitman Hanson Regional High School since 1988. At both schools he has been influential in introducing innovative programs that resulted in improved SAT and MCAS test scores. In North Attleboro he developed the Renaissance Recognition Program for academic achievement and established a recognition assembly for special needs students who compete in the Special Olympics.

He is active in a variety of community and professional organizations including the Hockomock Area YMCA with whom he created a number of partnership programs; the MSSAA where he serves as 2nd vice president and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

After serving as an elementary school teacher for eight years in Lawrence Mr. Rodriquez began his administrative career as principal of the Jon P. Kane Middle School there in 1986. He became principal at Fuller Middle School in 1994. Among his accomplishments there are implementing a variety of programs for students and teachers aimed at improving academic performance at a school of 700 students of whom one third are minorities. Fuller Middle School also serves as the home to the districts bilingual/sheltered English/ESL students.

The professional development program Mr. Rodriquez has developed serves as a model for the entire system and is being used by other school districts in the area. Another of his accomplishments was the establishment of a partnership with Wellesley College whereby middle school female students meet with Wellesley students to discuss issues of gender and culture in various ethnic groups.

Dr. Hogan was named Assistant Principal at Needham H.S. in 1999 after serving in a number of school administrative posts in Washington state. One of his first innovations in Needham was to establish a weekly one-period visit with department heads that includes spending time in the classrooms and discussing their observations.

Dr. Hogan also instituted a special fund raising effort that generated $25,000 in contributions to equip a classroom with 20 computers for use in a new graphics arts program. He also established a program that trains students in Conflict Mediation which has become a vehicle for addressing student issues in school. In a time of fiscal constraints, Dr. Hogan has developed outside funding for a number of other courses and programs.