Celebrating Principals Who Invest in Teachers to Strengthen Student Achievement

Strong principals understand that improving student outcomes starts with investing in teachers. To kick off National Principals Month, we’re excited to highlight principals who put that commitment into practice every day. Their schools demonstrate how supporting educators strengthens instruction and student achievement.

Thomas Hakim | Northview Middle School, Indiana

Principal Thomas Hakim helped reshape Northview’s instructional leadership team around improving teaching and student learning. Teacher leaders model strategies in classrooms and provide ongoing coaching, helping colleagues see effective instruction in action. The school has achieved gains in ELA and math proficiency that exceeded statewide trends between 2023 and 2025.

“Our partnership with NIET allowed us to reshape our ILT, moving from a group that previously met weekly to discuss building-wide logistics to a team that put instruction and student outcomes as the focus of our work,” said Hakim. “NIET helps us put up the guard rails so that we stay focused on instruction.”

Watch our video about Northview Middle School.

Dr. Robert Compton | Riverwalk Academy, South Carolina

Head of School Dr. Robert Compton and his leadership team pair clear expectations with the support teachers and students need to succeed across kindergarten through 12th grade. In partnership with NIET, Riverwalk has implemented instructional leadership teams to support evidence-based expectations for effective classroom instruction, while also building pathways for shared leadership. This investment has supported strong teacher retention and improved student performance in elementary ELA and high school English and Algebra.

“We have intentionally built leadership pathways for teachers and continue to expand these opportunities through mentor teacher roles, team leadership, and instructional leadership positions,” said Compton. “These pathways allow teachers to broaden their impact without leaving the classroom, contributing to strong retention, particularly among high-performing educators who might otherwise seek leadership opportunities elsewhere.”

Watch our video about Riverwalk Academy.

Honey Lundin | Sorrento Primary School, Louisiana

Principal Honey Lundin draws on her experience in teacher and school leadership roles to help educators develop through NIET’s TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement. Weekly professional learning and classroom coaching connect teachers’ growth to the needs of their students. Between 2023 and 2025, Sorrento’s increase in student mastery across all subjects exceeded statewide gains.

“Through these NIET practices, our school continues to cultivate a culture where teachers are supported, motivated, and empowered to grow—benefiting both educators and students,” said Lundin. “Our teachers attribute their growth to NIET structures that help them deepen content knowledge, use student data to differentiate instruction, and reflect on instructional practices.”

Watch our video about Sorrento Primary School.

Laura Wanstreet | Horizon Honors Elementary School, Arizona

Principal Laura Wanstreet of Horizon Honors Elementary School creates opportunities for teachers to lead, with allocated time for collaborative professional learning and individualized coaching. These structures help educators grow and build leadership capacity across the school. Between 2023 and 2025, Horizon Honors increased student proficiency in both ELA and math, outpacing statewide performance.

“Teacher leadership is especially motivating to our young teachers as they know they have a career pathway here,” said Wanstreet. “The structures we have in place, including mentor and master teacher roles and protected collaborative time, have been key to creating that pathway.”

Watch our video about Horizon Honors Elementary.

Join Us in Celebration of National Principals Month

Throughout October, join us in celebrating principals whose daily commitment to educators and students strengthens schools and expands opportunities for learning. Follow NIET on social media at @nietteach and continue to read our features spotlighting standout partner principals on our website.