Principal of Assabet receives honor; National educators' group names principals of the year.

Byline: Elaine Thompson

MARLBORO - Mary Jo Nawrocki, principal of Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, has been named one of two high school principals of the year in Massachusetts.

Mrs. Nawrocki was selected for national recognition by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. She was presented the Bertram H. Holland Award at the annual Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association summer institute in Falmouth last week.

"I was terribly shocked and extremely excited and very humbled," Mrs. Nawrocki said in a telephone interview from the school this week. "I think it speaks very well for the school. It radiates all the hard work staff and students have been doing the past five years."

Mrs. Nawrocki, a former Marlboro School Committee member and Marlboro city councilor, has been at Assabet her entire 30-year career. She has served as a coach, teacher and director of curriculum and student assessment. She was appointed principal in 2003.

When she took over the helm of the high school, Assabet students had low MCAS scores and morale was poor among students and staff. Her "Raising the Bar" theme, which encourages input and leadership from faculty and students, helped turn that around.

Mrs. Nawrocki said Assabet now has a 100 percent passing rate on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests, a nationally certified pre-engineering program, and it is offering a growing number of Advanced Placement courses. Assabet is also one of a handful of high schools to be named a state scholars school.

"For the past three years for all of our graduates have passed the MCAS," Mrs. Nawrocki said proudly yesterday. "Last year, sophomores boosted their highest MCAS scores with 99 percent in English. One student failed. And 95 percent passed on the math exam on the first try."

Assabet Superintendent Eugene Carlo said everyone associated with the school is extremely proud of Mrs. Nawrocki.

"I think it's amazing. Her accomplishments clearly speak for themselves," he said. "They show the spirit the faculty has on the direction which kids can achieve. Her slogan is all kids can achieve. Failure is not an option."

Mrs. Nawrocki, 58, and her husband, Mark, an insurance consultant, have three adult children. She will travel to Washington, D.C., in October for a summit with Principal of the Year recipients from the rest of the country.

The Bertram H. Holland Award is named in honor of the Brookline High School headmaster who died in 2000 at age 91. Mr. Holland was an executive secretary of the Massachusetts Secondary School Principals' Association, and the first executive director of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. Among other contributions, he was president of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the Massachusetts Schoolmasters' Club. He was founding chairman of the School and College Relations Committee of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. He also received many awards for his contributions to the youth and community.

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CUTLINE: Mary Jo Nawrocki, principal of Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, said she was shocked, excited and humbled to be named a principal of the year in Massachusetts.