Northview Middle School Selected as Finalist for National Institute for Excellence in Teaching’s Founder’s Award, $10,000 Cash Prize
March 12, 2026
School one of five nationwide recognized for outstanding efforts to foster educator excellence and advance student success, contending for a $50,000 grand prize
Indianapolis, Ind. (March 12, 2026) - The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) announced today that Northview Middle School in Metropolitan School District of Washington Township, Indiana, won $10,000 for its selection as an NIET Founder’s Award finalist. The prestigious Founder’s Award was created by Lowell Milken in 2008 to honor one school in the United States each year for exceptional implementation of NIET’s principles to build educator excellence and advance student success. Northview Middle School is among five schools nationwide under consideration for the $50,000 grand prize, which will be announced at NIET’s national conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, on April 1, 2026.
“Northview’s rigor and high expectations have led to increased teacher retention and student achievement,” said NIET Founder Lowell Milken. “Congratulations to Principal Thomas Hakim, his Instructional Leadership Team, and to Superintendent Dr. Sean Taylor for advancing excellence for educators and students every day.”
Founder’s Award finalists are selected by NIET based on several factors, including improving classroom instruction, creating high-quality professional learning focused on the real-time needs of teachers and students, and engaging teacher leaders and school leaders in building a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
After strengthening the Instructional Leadership Team, Northview Middle School now provides teachers with tailored professional learning and support that ultimately moves the needle for students. From 2023 to 2025, the percentage of Northview Middle School students scoring Proficient on state assessments increased 22 points in math and 11 points in English Language Arts (ELA). The proficiency rate statewide increased by only one point in math and decreased in ELA during the same time period.
“Northview Middle School exemplifies what is possible when a school’s Instructional Leadership Team commits to meeting weekly to focus on instruction and student outcomes,” said NIET Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joshua Barnett. “This dedication has spread across the campus, with teachers strengthening their instruction to help students succeed.”
What Makes Northview Middle School Unique?
Northview Middle School is located on the north side of Indianapolis, Indiana. The school educates approximately 1,000 students in grades sixth through eighth, with almost half qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. Principal Hakim and his leadership team focus on strengthening instruction, building educator capacity, and creating a positive learning environment for teachers and students.
A key component of Northview Middle School’s partnership with NIET has been the reshaping of the school’s leadership team. Introducing NIET’s structures for an Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) has shifted the group’s focus to instruction and expanded it to include teachers interested in taking on instructional leadership roles.
“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.”
Northview Middle School ILT members field test and model instructional strategies for teachers in classrooms. This has transformed professional learning on campus as teachers can now see instructional strategies in use rather than hearing them described in a meeting. These “lab classrooms” help teachers feel more confident in using new instructional strategies to meet needs identified in student data, and are part of an ongoing coaching cycle between teachers and the ILT members. As a result, Northview Middle School is experiencing increased teacher retention and gaining a reputation as a campus that helps teachers become more effective.
“Being able to grow and develop the instructional capacity of our staff is a home run,” said Hakim. “With that ‘grow your own’ mentality, people are excited about the possibilities that are ahead, both for their own careers and student outcomes.”
As Northview Middle School experiences increased student achievement, teachers feel motivated and encouraged to continue refining their instructional skills, further solidifying the school’s positive learning environment.
“With NIET, we are not just focusing on the standardized-tested subjects and teachers,” said Hakim. “All our teachers are involved with the idea that if we all level up, then the rising tide lifts all ships. Our students and families are starting to see that and are helping us create a culture of high achievement.”
Northview Middle School joins fellow finalists Horizon Honors Elementary School (Horizon Honors Schools, Arizona); Marthaville Elementary & Junior High School (Natchitoches Parish School Board, Louisiana); Riverwalk Academy (South Carolina Public Charter School District, South Carolina); and Sorrento Primary School (Ascension Public Schools, Louisiana) in contention for the $50,000 Founder’s Award grand prize.
About NIET
The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) is a national nonprofit based in Arizona that serves states and districts nationwide. For 25 years, NIET has partnered with schools, districts, states, and universities to build educator excellence and give all students the opportunity for success. NIET’s initiatives, including the TAP System, teacher and leader development, school improvement, rubric and observation systems, and educator preparation, have impacted more than 350,000 educators and 3.5 million students across the U.S.