PORT ANGELES — At a secret assembly where 600 students at Stevens Middle School managed to sneak into the gymnasium and stay quiet for a few minutes, Principal Chuck Lisk received the official notification that he was the Washington State Middle Level Principal of the Year.
Lisk, who was announced as the regional principal for 2011 last year, was also the regional principal of the year in 2010.
In addition to receiving his plaque and award from Association of Washington School Principals, Lisk was serenaded with a version of the Journey song, “Don’t Stop Believin’,” that his students revamped for him to cheer him on.
“Getting the award and plaque is great,” Lisk said, wiping a tear from his eye.
“But nothing can compare to the memories I got at that assembly.
“That was very emotional.”
Song lyrics
The song that the Leadership Class at the middle school sang began: “Just a small town boy/ living in a Middle School world/ He took his good old Ford going anywhere/ It was a big wish/ Born and raised in Port Angeles/ he took his big ole Ford, going anywhere/ A principal in an award filled school/ the smell of success it’s nothing new/ He’s the one with the great ideas/ They go on and on and on and on.”
Lisk, who has been principal at Stevens for the past 14 years, said he was initially resistant to getting into education.
“I started out in parks and recreation at Western Washington,” he said.
“My mom and dad and grandparents were all teachers, and I didn’t think that was for me.
“But then I started in on the parks and [recreation], and I remember thinking how I didn’t get to spend any time with kids.
“That is what I liked most: helping kids and spending time with them.”
So he finished his education degree at Central Washington and got a master’s degree in reading and headed to Snohomish, where he began teaching.
He started his principal career in Everett at North Middle School.
“After a while, I got tired of the guns and gangs and decided I wanted to come back to my hometown,” he said.
He spent two years as the principal of Franklin Elementary before moving back to the middle school level — which he feels is his niche.
Patti Fouts, principal of Forks Middle School, nominated Lisk for the recognition.
“In my experience, Chuck is committed to students, to the growth of his staff and to the growth of colleagues,” she said.
“In the time that I have known him, and under his leadership, the staff and students of two rival schools, Roosevelt and Stevens Middle Schools, have been brought together in a cohesive manner under one roof.”
Lisk saw the school through the consolidation of the two middle schools into Stevens Middle School in 2007.
“In addition, under his leadership, overall student achievement has continued to increase at Stevens Middle School,” Fouts said.
Stevens Middle School has received the state achievement award for being above state standards for the past two years.
“That is something that is pretty impressive when we have 50 percent of students on free and reduced lunches,” Lisk said.
“It is a school with great kids and teachers and staff.”
School award
Lisk said the award was for the school, not for an individual, Lisk said.
“The school, the district, the community won, not me,” he said.
Don Rash, the director of middle school programs for Association of Washington School Principals, described Lisk as one of the most unassuming people he’s ever met.
“He’s in the background, but I tell you, he’s a master at blending all the components of a school community to bring about success,” Rash said.
Superintendent of Port Angeles School District Jane Pryne applauded Lisk’s achievement.
“We are very pleased Principal Chuck Lisk has been selected by AWSP as the Washington State Middle Level Principal of the Year for 2011,” Pryne said.
“He has worked extremely hard on behalf of his students, staff and colleagues. We are very proud of his accomplishments, and this is truly an honor he has received and deserves.”
In October, Lisk will be honored with the elementary and high school principals of the year at the association’s annual 2011 Principals’ Conference in Washington, D.C.
Other items listed as reasons Lisk received the honor were creating an eight-period block schedule, creating small learning communities, encouraging students to take on leadership roles through the Associated Student Body and utilizing resources for struggling students including AmeriCorps and parent volunteers, reading specialists, daily homework club, Thursday School (which extends the school day until 6 p.m. for students with missing assignments) and student tutors to help with academic skills.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.