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Middle Level Principal of the Year Award

General Criteria

  1. The individual should have been a practicing middle level principal for at least five years (includes experience as associate/assistant principal). (Middle level principal is generally defined as having primary supervisory responsibilities for any combination of grades 5-8, but including PK-8 and 7-12.)
  2. The individual should be currently serving as a middle level principal in a building in which a commitment to excellence is clearly evident; i.e., to be nominated as a 2025 Middle Level Principal of the Year, the individual must be middle level principal for the 2024-25 school year.
  3. There should be evidence of outstanding contributions to the well-being of the educational community including:
    • ways in which curriculum, staff morale, community support, student interest, and the learning environment have benefited from the principal’s leadership.
    • ways in which the principal provides creative leadership in inspiring and motivating teachers and others to achieve and contribute to the school environment.
  4. The individual should show a strong commitment to the principalship by active participation in professional activities. Membership in SAI and either NAESP or NASSP are prerequisites for this award.
  5. There should be evidence that the individual is respected by his/her students, colleagues, and the community at large.
  6. The individual should show strong educational leadership and operate orderly and purposeful schools, having set high expectations for school staff and students.

NOTE: No current SAI Executive Committee member (president, president-elect, vice president or past president), NAESP/NASSP board member or NAESP/NASSP state representative is eligible for this award. K-12 principals are eligible for the Middle Level Principal of the Year Award.

Award recognition

  1. News releases are sent by SAI to select media at the conclusion of the selection process. An article will also appear in the SAI Report.
  2. Nominees will be recognized at their respective SAI District Meetings.
  3. The Administrator of the Year will be recognized at the SAI Annual Conference.
  4. The Administrator of the Year may qualify for recognition by the national association and become eligible for a national award if s/he fulfills the criteria. NAESP and NASSP require the state recipient be an active principal during the year of the national award, e.g. a 2025 winner must be an active principal for the 2024-25 school year. Events are subject to change; please see the awards section of the respective national website for current information: NAESP or NASSP.