With the recent success of Taking Center Stage-Act II, it seems well acknowledged that middle school is a crucial point in a student’s educational career. This is where students begin ramping up for the educational and social demands placed on them in high school.
Thus, middle school educators play an important role in a student’s development. One of the best of these educators is Tess Johnson, principal of Eleanor Murray Fallon Middle School in Dublin USD. Johnson is ACSA’s 2008 Middle Grades Principal of the Year.
Johnson recently married and may be better known to many ACSA members as Tess Thomas. She has been a longtime ACSA leader, holding positions such as president at the charter and regional levels and a term on state ACSA’s Board of Directors. She is currently serving as a state director-at-large.
One of the reasons Johnson has been so successful as an educator is she remains firm in the belief that all children can learn and grow, academically and socially, and that students will thrive given a safe, caring school and educators that model tolerance and respect for each other. She uses this belief as the grounding for all her actions as an educational leader. These actions tend to be hands-on, as Johnson spends a good deal of time in classrooms and even tutoring at-risk students.
“Being a part of the support team for our students is a key part of my job and is very important to me,” Johnson said. “I expect a shared leadership component to be a major part of the school environment, so I take part in whatever needs to be done to ensure the growth of all students. As a result our team continues to do what is right for our students. With the team support we give each of our students, the result is they excel.”
ACSA has also been an important part of Johnson’s life through her leadership roles within the association.
“ACSA has been and continues to be an integral part of my career,” Johnson said. “It has assisted me in strengthening my leadership skills through our professional development opportunities; provided me many opportunities to develop as a leader beyond my job description as a site principal; and provided me with a leadership support system, linking me with outstanding administrators throughout California.
“That has been invaluable to being an effective leader. Perhaps most importantly, it has provided me with an opportunity to develop friendships with many people, who have become lifelong friends and colleagues.”
Johnson has also utilized ACSA resources to help grow new leaders and give back to the profession. Every summer she sends a teacher leader to ACSA’s Colloquium for New and Aspiring Principals, and has served the colloquium as a team leader.
“I seek teacher leaders to attend the colloquium every year because I feel strongly about it and it is my joy to grow the next generation of leaders,” Johnson said. “ACSA does an outstanding job with giving them the tools to do the job well. Also, as I mentioned earlier, a strong school shared leadership team is a priority at my site and our team needs the training to move forward to get the job done.”
Johnson has worked in Dublin USD since 1996, and during that entire time she has worked with the Dublin Partners in Education as vice president, finding local school foundations and community agencies to provide resources that coincide with the district’s vision.
“Due to budget cuts, Dublin Partners in Education has been invaluable in supporting the schools in our district with financial, people and program supports,” Johnson said. “They offer teacher and school grants; provide programs such as career days, job shadowing, mentor connection programs, student scholarships, and much more. I continue to be a vice president on their board and I assist in providing the information they need to determine projects and programs that can be supported at school sites and within the district. I see them as a part of the support team providing valuable resources to our school sites.”
As a hands-on educational leader, Johnson has been very successful in her school, her district and her community. Now comes the ACSA honor as Middle Grades Principal of the Year.
“It is such an honor to receive this award,” she said. “It is such a validation for my leadership support team that continues to make me look good. Without my superb assistant principal, dean, counselors, grade-level leads and student leaders that make me successful as a site leader, I could not do the job.
“This award is representative of the strong leadership team at Fallon School that focuses on student achievement and success. I feel blessed and fortunate to be where I am.”
For more information on the ACSA Administrator of the Year Awards, visit www.acsa.org/awards.