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SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today congratulated James Dierke, principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco, for being named the Metlife/National Association of Secondary School Principals' 2008 National Middle Level Principal of the Year.

Mr. Dierke will be honored at an awards banquet tomorrow in Washington, D.C.

"I am grateful to Jim for his extraordinary efforts in keeping the momentum and spirit of Visitacion Valley alive and strong by creating a safe, supportive learning environment," O'Connell said. "The school has benefited significantly by his proactive leadership and timely response to factors both on and off campus that could have had a negative impact on his students' sense of well-being."

The association chose to honor Dierke because of the challenges he faced, including "high crime rates, low expectations for student success, high teacher turnover, excessive truancy, and a significant suspension rate" and his enduring efforts to transform the school into a "safe haven for students of all ages."

The association commented on an incident in 2004 when a gunman came on campus and threatened teachers and students at gunpoint before escaping. "Parents demonstrated their faith in Dierke's leadership by not withdrawing any children from the school," the association noted.

For more information on the award and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, please visit: NASSP Home [http://www.principals.org/s_nassp/index.asp?CID=1138&DID=54609] (Outside Source).