The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals has named Sarah Manzo, a Lake Orion High School assistant principal, “Assistant Principal of the Year.”
The announcement, a surprise to Manzo, was made at a luncheon that took place on Oct. 20 during the MASSP Fall Conference at Crystal Mountain Resort near Traverse City.
Her husband Jim, her parents and grandmother, along with Lake Orion Board of Education members and administrators, attended the luncheon.
Manzo was recognized for her focus on school climate and staff motivation.
LOHS has a faculty of over 110 teachers. With up to 10 new teachers arriving yearly, teachers didn’t even know each other’s names.
Manzo incorporated the philosophy from Harry Paul’s book FISH! Throughout the year, she created activities to bring the staff together.
She imbedded the FISH! philosophy in the daily life of the school and in a fun way worked on ways for the faculty to get to know each other better and created a positive learning environment for the school’s students.
“I know they appreciate my efforts and I know I’m making a difference in their daily lives,’ Manzo said.
As a problem-solver, she said, “The easy thing to do in a disciplinary situation is to suspend a student. However, I have found for some students that suspension is not effective.
“In these occasions, I have worked with the families and students themselves to have alternative consequences. These alternative consequences allow for the students to better learn from their mistakes rather than sitting in the suspension room all day.”
An eight year education veteran, Manzo began her teaching career at Kenawa Hills High School as a science teacher. She joined the faculty of Lake Orion in 1998 as a teacher of physical science. She became an assistant principal at the high school in 2000.
Manzo earned a bachelor’s degree at Central Michigan University and a master’s degree from Western Michigan University. She was voted ‘most involved staff member’ by the students of LOHS in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
As a result of her MASSP honor, Manzo will be recognized as Michigan’s representative to the 2004 National Assistant Principal Recognition Program in Orlando, Florida, sponsored by McDonald’s.
MASSP, founded in 1911, is the statewide society representing principals and assistant principals in middle schools, high schools and career technical centers. It currently has more than 2,000 members.