Alachua County Public Schools announces Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year

Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) named its Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year Wednesday.

Leroy Williams, Eastside High School principal, and Mallory Becker, Gainesville High School assistant principal, were chosen by peers districtwide based on their resumes and responses to questions developed by the state, which included topics related to teacher support and student performance.

Williams began his career with ACPS in 2004 as a teacher at Lincoln Middle School. He then became a dean and then an assistant principal at Lincoln. In 2016, Williams was named assistant principal at Eastside High and was promoted to principal in 2021.

A press release by ACPS said Williams’ goal as principal is to create a collaborative environment where teachers, students, staff and the community work together to serve the ‘whole child’ – academically, socially and emotionally.

“Every day when I come to work, it doesn’t feel like work to me,” he said in the release. “I feel like it’s another opportunity to have a positive impact or make a difference in a child’s life.”

Becker has been in education for nearly 30 years; she was a teacher and administrator in California along with Alachua County and has also worked with the University of Florida. She served as assistant principal at Lincoln Middle for four years, principal of the online Alachua eSchool for one year and assistant principal at Gainesville High for a total of six years.

The ACPS release says Becker has worked to develop opportunities for all students to access advanced coursework. She aims to provide academic opportunities for students based on their strengths and interests.

“My goal is to help develop well-rounded students who are equipped to be good citizens and academically prepared no matter what their plans are after high school,” Becker said in the release.

Last year's awardees: Alachua County Public Schools recognizes principal, assistant principal of the year

Williams and Becker will represent the Alachua County school district in the statewide principal and assistant principal recognition programs. Finalists for Florida Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year are planned to be selected in January or February and the statewide winners will be announced in March or April.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Alachua County Public Schools Principal Assistant Principal of the Year