Erik Burmeister, principal of Hillview Middle School in Region 8’s Menlo Park City School District, has been named one of the finalists in the 2014 MetLife/National Association of Secondary School Principals National Principal of the Year Program.
Burmeister was named the Association of California School Administrators’ 2012 Middle Grades Principal of the Year at Union Middle School before recently moving to Hillview last year. During his five-year tenure at Union, Burmeister implemented successful strategies such as Response to Intervention, professional learning communities, and a renewed the focus on closing the achievement gap.
“I am so honored to represent California, ACSA, and all the hardworking individuals who are dedicated to changing the lives of middle school kids throughout the state,” Burmeister said. “I consider this less a recognition of me and more an acknowledgement of the incredible work in which the teachers at Union and Hillview Middle Schools are engaged. I would not be in this position were in not for the support of our parents and the mentorship of my district leadership and ACSA mentors.”
ACSA President Marc Ecker added plaudits for Burmeister’s achievements.
“We at ACSA are so very proud of Erik’s accomplishments and his success in meeting the needs of his students. Erik sets a high bar and he exemplifies the best of our profession,” Ecker said. “His nomination as one of the Met Life/NASSP National Principal of the Year Finalists puts him in elite company. On behalf of ACSA, our Board of Directors and entire membership, we wish him the best of luck as he continues progress toward becoming the National Principal of the Year.”
At Union Middle School, Burmeister instituted one of the first secondary models of Response to Intervention, enabling special education students to have access to a guaranteed viable curriculum taught by a highly qualified teacher. After the first year, student test scores soared. As a result, the school’s Academic Performance Index climbed 117 points to 932.
The national middle level and high school winners will be named in September and recognized in Washington, D.C. during the Principals Institute for State Principals of the Year, September 18-21.
Burmeister is the first Californian to be named a finalist in this program since James Dierke of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco was named National Middle Level Principal of the Year in 2008. For more information about the MetLife/NASSP National Principal of the Year Program, please visit www.nassp.org/POY.