Middle View Contributors
Patti Kinney is the principal of the NASSP National Center for Middle Level Leadership. She comes to NASSP with an extensive background of 33 years in public education, the last 17 spent as an administrator at Talent Middle School in southern Oregon. She was 2005-06 president of the National Middle School Association; 2003 NASSP/MetLife National Middle Level Principal of the Year, 2002 Oregon Middle Level Principal of the Year 2002, and 1996 Oregon Assistant Principal of the Year 1996. In 2007 she was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Oregon Middle Level Association.
Heather Cruz, assistant superintendent for educational services in the Litchfield (AZ) Elementary School District, was principal of Verrado Middle School, a school which she planned and opened in 2004. Heather is an adjunct faculty member at several local colleges, including Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University-West Campus.
Michael Waiksnis is assistant principal at Castle Heights Middle School in Rock Hill, SC, his first position in a middle school after several years of high school administration. Read more of Michael's reflections on school leadership on his own blog, EdLeaderWeb.
