\u200bMILILANI \u2014 Mililani Middle School Vice Principal Jeffrey Horstman was recognized today at a campus ceremony for being named Hawai\u2018i\u2019s 2024 Assistant Principal of the Year and a finalist for the national assistant principal of the year award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\uc911\ub4f1\ud559\uad50 \uad50\uc7a5 \uc804\uad6d \ud611\ud68c(NASSP)\u00a0\uc62c\ud574\uc758 \ubd80\uad50\uc7a5\uc0c1 \ud504\ub85c\uadf8\ub7a8<\/a>\u00a0annually recognizes outstanding middle level and high school assistant principals who have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The local chapter of the NASSP, the Hawai\u2018i Association of Secondary School Administrators (HASSA), named Horstman its 2024 Assistant Principal of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMr. Horstman\u2019s significance and impact is beyond the boundaries of Mililani Middle School because of his commitment to our students,\u201d Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. \u201cWith the impact that he makes, it\u2019s no wonder that he is the Assistant Principal of the Year and a top finalist for the nation. On behalf of the Department, we congratulate Mr. Horstman. We are all so proud of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Horstman is in his fifth year as a vice principal for Mililani Middle and has worked with middle level students for over 15 years. He previously taught sixth-grade English at Wahiawa Middle from 2008 to 2010. He then served as a counselor at Mililani Middle for nine years before becoming the school\u2019s vice principal in 2019. He also taught at the McKinley, Waipahu, and Wahiawa Community Schools for Adults from 2016 to 2019. Prior to the classroom, he worked as a rural youth program director for crime prevention at YMCA Kalihi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As vice principal, Horstman led the effort to provide early transition support to elementary students by collaborating with teachers, student service coordinators, and curriculum coordinators to implement summer programming for incoming fifth graders. He also helped to secure additional funding for high-interest after-school programs. He also works with students on the school\u2019s quarterly newsletter, \u201cBlazer Bugle,\u201d and videos to highlight students\u2019 voices and perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are a lot of great administrators doing wonderful things across the state of Hawai\u2018i and I truly believe that I\u2019m amongst the best,\u201d Horstman said in response to the award. Horstman acknowledged the collaboration and teamwork of the entire Mililani Middle faculty and staff as a major factor in receiving this recognition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s a huge honor to be representing the state of Hawai\u2018i but I\u2019m not just representing administrators when I go up to D.C., I\u2019m representing all of you,\u201d he shared with his colleagues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Erin Conway, representing Rep. Trish La Chica, and Rep. Lauren Matsumoto, who both represent the Mililani area, also presented Horstman with a commemorative certification from the Hawai\u2018i State Legislature to help mark the occasion. Honolulu City Councilmember Val Okimoto, who represents parts of \u2018Aiea, Mililani, Pearl City and Waipahu, was also in attendance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to Horstman, the national organization named Sheri Murphy of Frederick High School\u202fin Maryland and\u202fCourtney Walker of Carrollton High School in Georgia\u202fas the other two finalists for the 2024 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year award.\u202fThe winner will be announced at a gala in Washington, D.C., on April 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMr. Horstman,\u202fMs. Murphy\u202fand Ms. Walker exemplify the exceptional leadership that defines the very best in our schools,\u201d said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe in a news release. \u201cTheir dedication goes beyond the call of duty, directly impacting the lives and futures of their students and educators in the most positive ways. We couldn\u2019t be prouder to honor their incredible work.\u201d\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the second year in a row that a Hawai\u2018i Assistant Principal of the Year was named a finalist for the national title. Last year\u2019s state winner, Kaw\u0101nanakoa Middle School Vice Principal Dr. Bebi Davis, was\u00a0also named a national finalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Horstman will also be representing Hawai\u2018i at the\u00a0UNITED conference<\/a>\u00a0this July in Nashville hosted by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and NASSP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n