School & District Management

Rhode Island High School Leader Named National Principal of the Year

By Corey Mitchell — October 05, 2015 2 min read
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Alan Tenreiro, a Rhode Island high school principal, has been selected as the 2016 National Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Under Tenreiro’s leadership, Cumberland High School in Cumberland, R.I., has doubled its Advanced Placement class offerings, expanded the number of STEM courses to include pre-engineering, robotics, and a biotechnology pathway. The fourth-year principal has also established a system that allows for clearer teacher-student feedback, more uniform expectations for students and a focus on what students have learred, not just what they’ve done, a release from the NASSP said.

The award was announced today at a surprise assembly at the school.

“Alan Tenreiro works diligently to help students reach high standards, but in the context of the students’ genuine interests,” JoAnn Bartoletti, the association’s executive director, said in a statement. “His passion for personalizing the school—a hallmark of NASSP’s Breaking Ranks framework for school improvement—keeps him moving ever forward to find creative ways to ensure each student in his school is known and well-served.”

Tenreiro has a bachelor’s degree in social studies education and a master’s degree in educational administration, both from Rhode Island College.

Before taking the Cumberland job, Tenreiro worked as a social studies teacher and assistant principal in Rhode Island.

Tenreiro is the co-founder and moderator of #edchatri, a weekly Sunday night Twitter chat where teachers and administrators discuss education trends and developments in Rhode Island and across the nation.

Cumberland schools Superintendent Phil Thornton said Tenreiro and his team have transformed their schools into a statewide and nationally recognized “leader in educational excellence.”

The search for the 2016 national principal of the year started in early 2015 as each state principals association selected its state principals of the year. From the pool of state winners, a panel of judges selected three finalists, Tenreiro along with Patricia Fry of Plymouth South High in Plymouth, Mass., and Kyle Hoehner of Lexington High in Lexington, Neb.

Each finalist received a $250 grant and the national winner receives an additional $250 grant for use at their school.

This post has been updated to reflect the amount of the grants awarded to the Principal of the Year finalists and winner.

Photo: Alan Tenreiro, 2016 National Principal of the Year, National Association of Secondary School Principals. Courtesy of NASSP.

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A version of this news article first appeared in the District Dossier blog.