CONTACT:

BELLEVUE SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT DR. MICHAEL RILEY NAMED 
2004 ROBERT J. HANDY MOST EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATOR IN THE 
LARGE DISTRICT CATEGORY

Dr. Riley’s nomination focused on his belief that every Bellevue School District student should experience academic rigor. It outlined how his vision has been set in motion through his strong commitment to creating an environment of high standards achievement that is actualized at all levels. Advanced Placement and other challenging classes have become the standard rather than the exception. Ample time for planning, collaboration, alignment and observation among district leaders, principals and teachers as well as the promotion and district support for National Board Certification of teachers are valuable elements in the Bellevue program.

On learning of his selection, Dr. Riley commented:

“I’m honored to receive this award. I see this as a reward for all the outstanding people who work in the Bellevue School District even though they may not recognize the power of their work. Writer Tracy Kidder says, ‘Good teachers put snags in a river of children passing by, and over the years, they redirect hundreds of lives.’ I’m accepting this award in the name of the Bellevue teachers who put forth extraordinary effort to serve all our kids.”

Three awards are presented each year, based on district-size categories, with a $10,000 award equally divided by the winners. Approximately one-third of Washington’s school districts are represented in each category. The award can be used for personal or professional growth and/or to support and disseminate information about a successful school or district program. A panel representing five professional education associations selects the winners from nominations that detail how each nominee is taking part in actualizing the nine characteristics of highly performing schools/districts as defined by research from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

The Robert J. Handy Most Effective Administrator Awards recognize outstanding public school administrators in Washington State. Robert J. Handy, the awards' namesake, founded the PEMCO Life Insurance Company. Handy was a Seattle schoolteacher during the Great Depression whose vision of providing low-cost loans to schoolteachers grew into what is now the School Employees Credit Union of Washington.

The Washington Association of School Administrators is a statewide professional association representing 1,100 members including superintendents, central office administrators and building principals. The PEMCO Foundation is an alliance of companies inclusive of PEMCO Insurance Company, the School Employees Credit Union of Washington and Evergreen Bank.

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Ed. Note:
PEMCO Web site - www.pemco.com
Detailed descriptions of the nine characteristics - http://www.k12.wa.us/SchoolImprovement/success.aspx 

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