PORTLAND, Maine – Ann Hanna, assistant principal of Ocean Avenue Elementary School (OAES) is Maine’s Elementary School Assistant Principal of the Year for 2017.
The Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) announced Hanna’ selection as Maine’s NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 1, at an all-school assembly. She will be honored by the MPA at its annual awards banquet at the Spring Conference on April 27, 2017.
The MPA said that Hanna received the award “based on her accomplishments as a strong educational leader. She is committed to excellence and has a strong desire to meet the academic and social needs of all students. Her ability to be an outstanding leader, self-reflective and exceed her own goals is demonstrated by the tremendous growth in student learning.”
In announcing Ms. Hanna’s selection, MPA Executive Director Richard Durost told students gathered for the assembly that Hanna is a person who “is the very best” at what she does. He also praised the warm, friendly atmosphere at OAES, which recently was named an authorized IB World School, Primary Years Programme. Durost said such a school climate, “doesn’t just happen. It must be part of the culture here.”
Durost said, “Ann Hanna is an extremely deserving recipient of the MPA’s Assistant Principal of the Year Award. Her work with teachers in the content areas of reading and writing has made a significant impact on students. Her background and expertise as a primary teacher and literacy coach have given her instant credibility and respect from staff members.”
Portland Superintendent Xavier Botana said the recognition of Hanna is “so deserved.”
“She is absolutely amazing,” Botana told students, adding that she’s “the pride and joy of the Portland Public Schools.”
Mayor Ethan Strimling said he rearranged his schedule to make sure he could attend the event on Thursday. He congratulated Hanna and noted that she was the second PPS administrator to be honored by the MPA as an outstanding administrator. Casco Bay High School Principal Derek Pierce was selected last spring as Maine’s Principal of the Year for 2016.
Strimling said that the double honor for Portland is “a remarkable testament to how great our schools are.”
School Board member Laurie Davis praised and congratulated Hanna, whom Davis said she has known since Hanna first started working for the Portland Public Schools 26 years ago .
OAES Principal Beverly Coursey praised the caring way Hanna listens to and supports students. “It is an absolute privilege to work with Mrs. Hanna,” Coursey said.
Coursey nominated Hanna for the honor. She wrote that Hanna is “the consummate professional with excellent skills that cover the gamut of school leadership responsibilities. She is an instructional leader, a motivator, a role model, a behavior management specialist, an organizer, and an inspiration to us all. Her ability to maintain the vision for learning of the school while handling the daily myriad of simple and complex duties is unparalleled. Her leadership skills and professionalism are hallmarks of her success in this challenging job. Portland is very lucky to have an administrator of her caliber.”
Hanna thanked Coursey and also other district and school leaders and her colleagues for their support in helping her do her job, which she said she loves. She also thanked students and told them, “You inspire me to challenge myself every day to do the best that I can do.”
Hanna Ann began her teaching career when she was hired by the Portland Public School in 1990 as a first-grade teacher at Marada Adams School on Munjoy Hill. She remained at Adams as a Title I literacy coordinator/specialist until East End Community School (EECS) opened in 2006. When she moved to EECS in 2006, she split her time between the Title I Literacy Collaborative and being a teacher leader. She remained at EECS in this dual capacity and then as a data literacy specialist until the 2011-12 school year, when she moved to OAES. At that school, she initially split her time between being a data literacy specialist and being the assistant principal. Starting in the 2012-13 school year, she became OAES’ full-time assistant principal.
Hanna received her bachelor of arts in romance languages from the University of Maine, Orono, and McGill University in Montreal. She earned a masters of science in literacy education from the University of Southern Maine, and also holds a certificate of advanced study in educational leadership from USM.
Hanna is a member of the Maine Principals’ Association and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).
The Maine Principals’ Association is a professional association representing Maine’s K-12 educational leaders. The Association dates its history back to 1921 and focuses its work on promoting the principalship, educational leadership, and promoting and administering interscholastic activities in grades 9-12.
ATTACHED PHOTO: (left to right) MPA Assistant Executive Director Holly Couturier; OAES Assistant Principal Ann Hanna; and MPA Executive Director Richard Durost
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