Misa Sato Named Wisconsin Associate Principal of the YearMisa Sato, Associate Principal at Milwaukee’s Reagan High School, was named the 2022 Wisconsin Associate Principal of the Year. The announcement was made during a surprise ceremony at Reagan on November 10.
From left: Mike Roemer, Principal, Misa Sato, APOY, Nicki Ells, AWSA President, Megan O'Halloran, Sato, who has served as assistant principal of Reagan High School for the past six years, has focused on fostering a school culture based on respect and high expectations. At the same time, her leadership has emphasized student and staff well-being, with every student in her school knowing that the school values their contributions. “I want to personally congratulate Ms. Sato for being recognized with this prestigious award,” said MPS Superintendent Dr. Keith P. Posley. “MPS is filled with many exceptional teachers and administrators, and we can now proudly say that we have the best associate principal in the state. Ms. Sato has dedicated herself to maintaining high standards and carving out pathways for students to succeed in high school and beyond.” Over the years, Reagan High School has seen dramatic gains in student achievement. It was awarded the Wisconsin RtI Center Gold Award in Reading, Behavior, and Math in 2021 and 2022, and students are outperforming their peers statewide on a number of key measures. And, with Sato’s leadership, the school’s career-related program has grown from seven to 155 students. “It is a great pleasure to recognize Misa Sato, a school leader who combines incredible dedication with the skill to develop systems and the empathy to build relationships that foster student success,” said Jim Lynch, executive director of AWSA. “During her time at Reagan High School, the school has seen dramatic gains on key measures of school success. Ms. Sato rightfully deserves joining a list of outstanding school leaders who have earned this prestigious award.” “Misa has the ability to channel her high energy into focused efforts,” said Mike Roemer, Principal of Reagan High School. “Listening to upperclassmen and alumni, Misa invested heavily in the development of a unique career-related program that would offer career-critical skills within the challenging IB curriculum. Interested upperclassmen can now explore careers while being guided by experts in a given field. Most recently, Misa has added an education pathway to this program, with a goal of creating a pipeline for future educators." The Wisconsin Associate Principal of the Year program recognizes an assistant principal whose leadership has resulted in improved student learning, instructional collaboration, and a safe and positive school environment. Nominations come from fellow administrators, school board members, teachers, students, or parents. The selection criteria include a commitment to personal excellence, collaborative leadership, personalization, curriculum, instruction and assessment, and serving as an established and respected member of the community. The Associate Principal of the Year Selection Committee includes representatives from the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, the Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. Considerable support comes from the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation. Sato will be formally recognized at the Associate Principals Conference in January 2023. She will also receive $1,000 for use on a project of her choice at her high school. Additionally, Sato will represent the state of Wisconsin through the national Associate Principal of the Year Program, where the 50 Associate Principals of the Year from across the country will be honored. |
