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| PRINCIPAL MICHAEL "MIKE" REED LISTENS TO KINDERGARTNERS TALK ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE STUFFED ANIMALS. |
As soon as Sharon Smith heard principal Michael Reed talk about his plans for Regency Park Elementary, she wanted to teach at the new school.
“That's when I knew he was a man of vision and had the ability to look ahead and see where the school was going,” said Smith, a third-grade teacher. “He's continuing to be that kind of leader.”
It's Reed's forward-thinking approach to his post at Regency Park Elementary along with his emphasis on the home to school connection that is credited for the school's continued success. In a climate of declining enrollment at many traditional public schools, this Natomas campus is bucking the trend.
Earlier this week it was announced Reed has been named the Association of California School Administrators “Administrator of the Year” for Region 3 which includes Alpine, Sacramento and Yolo counties. The association is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the nation, serving more than 15,000 school leaders.
“Parents continually are satisfied with the education their children receive at their neighborhood school,” wrote Rusty Clark, executive director for the Rio Linda Neighborhood Network, who nominated Reed for the professional award.
Regency Park Elementary School is a diverse K-5 campus of 800+ students in the Twin Rivers Unified School District, which includes parts of the Natomas neighborhood. According to Clark, Reed led the school to its California State Title I Distinguished School honorable mention, an Ed Equity Award and most recent score of 804 on the Academic Performance Index.
The number of students attending Regency Park Elementary School has increased every year since it opened in 2004 – even with the loss of sixth graders to middle schools this year – and Reed is given much of the credit for this trend.
“Reed is one of those principals who really believe in the home-school connections,” said Jill Booker, kindergarten teacher.
Prior to taking the top post at Regency Park Elementary, Reed worked four years as principal at Village Elementary in North Highlands and as a teacher in Eureka, CA and Auburn, WA before that. Reed himself is a product of Twin Rivers Unified schools and Sacramento State University.
“He is the hardest worker I have ever worked with,” said school secretary Cindy Mangan, who has worked for the school district 23 years. “His focus is the kids, the kids, the kids.”
Reed will now be considered for the Association of California School Administrators' statewide "Administrator of the Year" award.
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