Congratulations to partner school Aki Kurose Middle School’s principal Mia Williams on being recognized for her passion to provide exceptional learning experiences for her school’s students and contributions to the profession.

Williams Named Washington State Middle School Principal of the Year
March 18, 2016
Original article published by Seattle Public Schools

Mia Williams, Aki Kurose Middle School principal, named the Washington State 2016 Middle Level Principal of the Year by Association of Washington School Principals.

Williams earned the prestigious state award because of her passion to provide exceptional learning experiences for her school’s students and remarkable contributions to the profession.

You can read the recent announcement from Superintendent Nyland about Williams’ award below.

I am excited and proud to announce that Aki Kurose Principal Mia Williams has been named the Washington State Middle School Principal of the Year.

Mia’s passion for the work she does, shows every day, through her dedication and powerful leadership. This can be seen as soon as you walk through the doors at Aki Kurose, where she and her staff continue to create a culture where students are empowered and given opportunities to learn and grow to reach their full potential.

Mia constantly credits her staff and recognizes it is with their support that she is able to make Aki Kurose an outstanding learning environment.

Under Mia’s leadership, Aki Kurose has consistently been one of the highest growth schools in the entire district. Year after year, students at Aki have shown some of the strongest annual academic growth.

Last year, in our analysis of our district’s most successful opportunity gap closing schools, Aki Kurose was one of those schools identified. Now in her eighth year at Aki, Mia and her staff have strengthened the partnership and alignment of academic plans and social/emotional supports with each feeder elementary and high school.

Mia recently spent time at the White House after being one of the few principals across the nation, invited by the Johns Hopkins University’s Everyone Graduates Center. She participated in a panel where she shared her experience and expertise using early warning systems, student success mentors and enhanced student support systems to reduce chronic absenteeism.

Please join me in congratulating Mia on this wonderful honor.

Dr. Larry Nyland
Superintendent