Big Lake High School’s Assistant Principal Angie Charboneau-Floch has been named the Minnesota Assistant Principal of the Year.
About the Award
The award is given by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP), an organization which looks to improve students’ education by supporting principals and assistant principals around the state. Every year they give out awards to the High School Principal of the Year, Middle School Principal of the Year, and Assistant Principal of the Year.
In order to be eligible to win the honor of being Assistant Principal of the Year for the state, Folch first had to win in her district. MASSP divides the state into eight districts, each of which has one candidate named assistant principal of the year for that district. MASSP then compares the winners of each district to determine who will be named Assistant Principal of the Year for the state.
Folch said that she felt honored to win her division and then state. She said she’s glad that she got to represent her division, including the other schools in the area, because she knows there are a lot of amazing educators in the area.
In her 10 years at BLHS, Folch has been a leader for many projects, which she felt were part of the reason she won the honors this year.
Sting
Recently, she has helped to implement a project called “Sting” within the school day. This allows teachers to provide some “intervention time” within the school day. This works somewhat like a study hall, but allows teachers to pull aside students who have fallen behind in order to re-teach lessons and provide extra support. Students who are not falling behind are allowed to sit in on lectures where they personally feel they need some extra support. The small groups make it easier for teachers to work with students one-on-one and get to the heart of the issue.
Other students are allowed to study in the cafeteria or the library. Some students work as peer tutors during this time, assisting other students with their assignments. Finally, post-secondary students (students who are enrolled in college-level courses) have time to ask teachers for help on difficult subject matter.
Folch says it is vital to have this intervention time within the school day. Trying to work with students before or after school can be very difficult. It’s easier, and more effective, to set aside that time during the school day.
“The Reason I Come to Work”
Folch is also focused on student and community relationships. She helped put together a challenge for Big Lake School staff: if there is a student whom you look forward to seeing every day, let them know. A video of these confessions, titled “Big Lake High School Teachers Tell Students ‘They are the Reason,’” can be found on the Big Lake Schools’ Facebook Page. This video was later featured on the news and by a company in New York.
“Be Your Own Champion”
Folch is also a driving force behind the “Be Your Own Champion” project. Essentially, this is to increase transparency in the school, and show the good work that staff is doing. Folch said that without this transparency, and without continuously showing the community what work is being done in the school, harsh and untrue rumors can be given more credibility than they are due.
National Honors
Having won at state, Folch will now be nominated to potentially win National Assistant Principal of the Year, competing against assistant principals in all 50 states and some territories. Three assistant principals will be named finalists on the national level. Folch said it would be “mind-blowing” if she were able to win national honors, but she knows that will be a very hard battle against some incredible educators.
She says she will continue to focus on her job and do the best she can. Her ultimate goal is to make sure her students go on to be well-rounded, productive citizens who have empathy, good communication skills, high character, gratitude and an appreciation for humor.
