William J. Nunnally of Dracut High School Named 2007 Assistant Principal of the Year.

FRANKLIN, Mass. -- William J. Nunnally, Vice Principal of Dracut Senior High School, has been selected as the Assistant Principal of the Year by the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association (MSSAA) for 2007. He will be recognized at the organization's Summer Institute.

The program annually recognizes secondary school leaders who demonstrate exemplary skills in educational leadership. This year the focus was on demonstrating success in collaborative leadership, curriculum, instruction and assessment, and in personalization of the administrator's tasks.

An educator for more than 29 years and an assistant principal for 11 years, Mr. Nunnally has held his present position at Dracut H.S. since 1997. As a member of the Leadership Team, the Attendance Review Board and the Emergency Response Protocol, he is involved in every aspect of education at the school. In supporting his nomination his colleagues and superiors consistently cited his belief "in the goodness in young people" that centers all his activities.

Mr. Nunnally is credited with instituting the Renaissance Program which recognizes, reinforces, and rewards positive behavior by students for attendance, academic achievement. He spends significant time and effort working with students identified as being "at risk" working with others in the community to help them succeed in high school.

Mr. Nunnally earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Master's in Education from Notre Dame College in Manchester, N.H. He taught physical education at Northwood, N.H. from 1983 until 1995 and began his administrator's career in Gardner, MA, Junior High School where he served as assistant principal from 1995 until coming to Dracut H.S.

In addition to the local recognition, Mr. Nunnally becomes a candidate for national honors from the National Association of Secondary School Principals. He will attend a two day Principals Institute in Washington in April where he will have an opportunity to share experiences with other outstanding school administrators from throughout the country and with national education leaders.

The Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association represents the interests of 1,100 principals and assistant principals in high schools and middle schools throughout the Commonwealth.