The Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) has announced the selection of the 2022 Assistant Principals of the Year. Each year, applications are accepted for the Elementary, Middle, and High School Assistant Principal of the Year Awards. The winners are chosen by the CAS Awards and Recognition Committee, a selection committee consisting of active and retired principals and assistant principals.

Dana Perez, assistant principal of Rogers Park Middle School (RPMS), is the 2022 CAS Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year.

Assistant principal at RPMS Park for the past four years, Perez is usually the first to arrive and the last to leave the building each day and she juggles her ever-expanding responsibilities with unfailing energy and efficacy. She has been a catalyst for change in teaching, learning, and assessment; and her imprint can be seen in all facets of the school operation.

On any given day, she is planning and implementing professional development for her staff; collecting and analyzing data to inform instructional practices; building relationships with students and families; and developing effective strategies to meet the varying social, emotional, and academic needs of a diverse student body.

As leader of a culturally diverse school with many multilingual learners, Perez has made educational equity a priority. RPMS faces a constant influx of non-English speaking students, and Perez makes sure that new families feel welcomed, supported, and equipped with the resources they need - in the language they speak - to integrate successfully into the school and community.

After looking at school discipline data, which revealed significantly higher suspension rates for Black and special needs students, Perez set about implementing protocols to address these disparities. She immediately formed a School Climate Transformation Group (SCTG) which, through her facilitation, developed building-wide expectations to improve existing discipline policies. Thanks to the work of the SCTG, coupled with Perez’ effective integration of restorative practices, RPMS was able to decrease its number of out-of-school suspensions by 40 percent in just one year.

One of Perez’ greatest accomplishments during her tenure as assistant principal is the RPMS Meal Train. Recognizing that food insecurity was impacting a large percentage of RPMS students, Perez helped to raise money and coordinate a meal train to provide meals and snacks to students and their families. Last year, the RPMS Meal Train raised over $22,090 and provided monthly groceries to over 81 families.

Lauren Reid, Bungay Elementary School Assistant Principal, was also selected as the Seymour 2022 Elementary School Assistant Principal of the Year, and Jamahl Hines, Conard High School Assistant Principal, as the West Hartford 2022 High School Assistant Principal of the Year.

About The Connecticut Association of Schools

Established in 1953, CAS is a non-profit organization working with Connecticut’s school leaders to improve elementary and secondary education in Connecticut. CAS’ core mission - to promote excellence in the education of all students - is achieved through advocacy, professional development, recognition, and student programs.