Winners a Diverse Set, but Share Common Strategies

RESTON, Va., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ten middle and high schools are being recognized for academic success through the 2010 MetLife Foundation-National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Breakthrough Schools program. The schools will be honored at the annual NASSP Convention, which is being held in Phoenix, AZ, March 12-14.

Established in 2007, the program recognizes middle level and high schools that are high achieving or are dramatically improving student achievement and serve large numbers of students living in poverty. The diverse set of schools being recognized -- public, charter, and private schools in urban, suburban, and rural communities -- share the common trait of having an economically diverse, high-achieving student population. Not surprisingly, the schools also share common strategies -- collaborative leadership; alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and a highly personalized, caring environment. These factors reflect the priorities of NASSP's Breaking Ranks school-improvement framework.

"These schools are testaments to the fundamental principle that collaborative leadership and high-quality instruction in a personalized environment are essential to academic achievement," said NASSP Executive Director Gerald N. Tirozzi. "I applaud these schools for their focused efforts and we look forward to spotlighting them as models of success in the coming year."

The ten schools being recognized are:

High Schools

• Brentwood High School, Brentwood, NY, Thomas P. O'Brien, Principal
• Franklin Towne Charter High School, Philadelphia, PA, Patrick Field, Chief Academic Officer; Jason Kegel, Principal
• Park View High School, Sterling, VA, Virginia Minshew, Principal
• San Diego Met High School, San Diego, CA, Mildred Phillips, Principal
• San Miguel High School, Tucson, AZ, Bro. Nick Gonzalez, FSC, Principal
  

Middle Schools

• Fieldale-Collinsville Middle School, Collinsville, VA, Moriah L. Dollarhite, Principal
• Mater Academy Charter Middle School, Hialeah Gardens, FL, Judith C. Marty, Principal
• Menominee Indian Middle School, Neopit, WI, Stephanie Feldner, Principal
• Ravenswood Middle School, Ravenswood, WV, Gary Higginbotham, Principal
• Tefft Middle School, Streamwood, IL, Lavonne Smiley, Principal
  

"Effective education is a collaborative venture," said Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "We commend the principals of these Breakthrough Schools for providing leadership that helps teachers, parents, students and communities work together to succeed."

Selection criteria are based on a school's documented success in implementing strategies aligned with the three core areas of NASSP's Breaking Ranks framework for middle level and high schools. Success in implementing the strategies is documented and verified through school site visits. For more information about the program, visit www.principals.org/breakthrough.

About MetLife Foundation

MetLife Foundation supports programs that increase opportunities for young people to succeed, create connections between schools and communities, and develop leadership of teachers and principals throughout their careers. The Foundation works with national nonprofit organizations, including NASSP, to improve education, often by addressing findings from the annual MetLife Survey of the American Teacher. For more, please visit www.metlife.org.

About NASSP

In existence since 1916, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the preeminent organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. The mission of NASSP is to promote excellence in school leadership. NASSP administers the National Honor Society ®, National Junior Honor Society ®, National Elementary Honor Society(TM), and National Association of Student Councils ®. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit www.principals.org.

    Contacts:
    For NASSP:                             For MetLife Foundation:
    Bob Farrace, (703) 860-7257            Ted Mitchell, (401) 827-3236
    farraceb@principals.org                tjmitchell@metlife.com

SOURCE MetLife Foundation

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