The Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) is proud to announce our Alaska Principal of the Year for 2022 is Mary Fulp, principal of Colony Middle School in Palmer, Alaska.
Principal Fulp is a lifelong Alaskan who received her Bachelor’s in Education at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She also completed her Master’s in Educational Leadership, with a Superintendent Endorsement from UAA. Fulp has spent 24 years working in education in Alaska and 17 years as a principal in the Mat-Su School District.
Principal Fulp has been an advocate for education throughout her career, serving as Past-President of the Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA) and the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals. She also serves as a principal mentor for the Alaska School Leadership Academy. She was selected by her peers as the AASSP Region 8 Principal of the Year for 2022.
Brendan Wilson, President of ACSA and AASSP, said that Fulp is deserving of this recognition. “Principal Fulp has been a statewide leader for as long as I have known her.” Wilson added, “She is a passionate and effective advocate for our kids, for education, and for principals.”
As a Principal, Fulp wants her staff to realize their power when they work with students. “We have the power to change lives every single day, and when we wake up, I hope we are excited to go to work.” Fulp said that as a leader, she gives her best everyday and inspires her staff to do the same because, “So goes the leadership, so goes the school.”
Dr. Randy Trani, Superintendent of the Mat-Su School District, said that Fulp epitomizes student-centered leadership. “Principal Fulp is uncompromising in her expectations for
student achievement. She expects all students to make progress and works diligently to instill a growth mindset in all students at Colony Middle School.”
Dr. Trani said that he was pleased to learn that Fulp was recognized as Alaska Principal of the Year and added, “I am so thankful Principal Fulp has dedicated herself to serving the students of the Mat-Su. She is truly an inspirational leader.”
Dr. Michael Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Education and Early Development, extended his congratulations to Fulp. “By recognizing Mary Fulp, we all express our commitment to the values and student-centered leadership she demonstrates each day in her school. We also express our desire to extend Mary’s leadership to schools across our state.”
Each year, the AASSP State Principal of the Year winners are submitted for consideration to be the NASSP National Principal of the Year. NASSP will announce three finalists in July. Fulp will travel to Washington DC in September for the NASSP Principals Institute.