ACSA is proud to announce that its nominee, Jim Dierke, principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in the San Francisco USD, has been named 2008 National Middle Level Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Dierke learned of his selection during a surprise ceremony with state and national education leaders, including ACSA representatives, at his school in San Francisco, Sept. 28.
During the event, SFUSD Assistant Superintendent Joan Hepperly thanked ACSA for being involved in the process and said it is a well-deserved award.
“It’s all about the students,” she said. “It’s about how Mr. Dierke does everything he can for the students of San Francisco.”
San Francisco USD Superintendent Carlos Garcia agreed, and said he is proud that out of thousands of top-notch middle school leaders in the nation, Dierke was selected. He called Dierke the district’s very own “American Idol.”
“Not everyone has the opportunity to be around greatness, but today we do,” Garcia said. “The way he treats people, the way he respects the community and each and every person, that is what we are recognizing today … Thank you for being the rock star of this entire city.”
Also speaking during the event was ACSA President-elect Frank Gomez, who expressed how extremely proud ACSA is of Dierke and the students of Visitacion Valley Middle School.
“Mr. Dierke has set the bar on the positive impact a single person can make on a school campus,” Gomez said. “He has become the leader of leaders.”
Eighth grade student Linda Villalobos shared her own praises for Dierke as well. “Mr. Dierke, our principal, is nice, helpful, trustworthy and you can talk to him about anything,” she said.
While certainly honored to have received such high recognition, Dierke said it was only possible with the hard work and support of the entire school community.
“To get to the Super Bowl, you have to have a winning team, and we have a winning team,” he said.
Dierke, who is also ACSA’s 2006 Middle Grades Principal of the Year, had many challenges to overcome when he came to Visitacion Valley eight years ago. High crime and violence, poverty, suspensions, absenteeism, teacher turnover and low student expectations made academic success seem unlikely.
But Dierke knew despite the challenges, all students could succeed. He encouraged increased parental involvement and built trust among staff. He implemented a zero tolerance policy on behavior, with a focus on prevention and counseling. He obtained a grant to support students whose parents are behind bars. He also forged strong relationships with the community, opening up the campus for college courses and events.
Visitacion Valley soon became a safe haven for students of all ages, despite the fact that the surrounding community continues to grapple with violent crime. Now, the school is known as “an island of safety in a sea of trouble.” Academic gains were dramatic as well. Visitacion Valley, which was once ranked at the bottom of 18 middle schools in San Francisco, has seen the most growth on state tests. The attendance rate jumped to 98 percent, one of the highest in the district.
When named ACSA’s Middle Grades Principal of the Year in 2006, Dierke told ACSA that despite the challenges, the students of Visitacion Valley have a strong desire to succeed.
“They just want to be like every other kid in every other middle school,” he said. “Kids are kids. They just need guidance and support.”
Dierke said the school’s transformation was systemic, with administrators, teachers, staff, parents, the community and students getting on board and committing to change, no matter how hard it may have seemed.
“My philosophy of education is you have to come in and do the job whatever the job is,” Dierke said.
Dierke will receive $5,000 in grants to be used to promote the advancement of learning opportunities for students or other related investments such as capital improvements, the purchase of technology-related equipment, or funding specific educational programs. He will be formally honored during an awards ceremony later this month in Washington, D.C.
The search for the nation’s top principal began in early 2007, when ACSA and other administrator associations in each state selected their state Principals of the Year. From this pool of state award winners, a panel of judges selected three middle level and three high school finalists. Dierke, along with five other principals from across the country – three at each the middle and high school levels – were interviewed in August in Washington, D.C. by a panel of judges.
Sponsored by corporate partner MetLife, the NASSP Principal of the Year programs focus attention on the outstanding work principals do in middle schools and high schools across the country. These individuals are recognized for their accomplishments as high-achieving principals, all the while making a daily investment in our children’s future. ACSA is proud to have been involved in this process.
For more information on the National Principal of the Year program, visit NASSP at www.nassp.org.