[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 168 (Wednesday, October 23, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





            ROBERT BEATO 2019 MICHIGAN PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ANDY LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 23, 2019

  Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. 
Robert Beato, Principal of South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores, 
who was named the 2019 Michigan Principal of the Year by the Michigan 
Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP).
   Mr. Beato has spent his entire career at South Lake High School, 
beginning in 1999 when he started teaching history, world history, and 
government. Currently in his third year as Principal, Mr. Beato served 
as Dean of Students and as Assistant Principal at South Lake.
   The MASSP requires nominees for Principal of the Year to demonstrate 
collaborative leadership; involvement in curriculum, instruction, and 
assessment; and personal involvement with students, their families, and 
staff. After being selected as Principal of the Year, Mr. Beato summed 
up his philosophy to the St. Clair Shores Sentinel, saying ``I pretty 
much want to do everything I can for my staff. Therefore, they can do 
everything they can for the students . . . at the end of the day, if it 
works for kids, let's try it; let's do it.'' Students at South Lake 
High School certainly believe that he lives up to his words, as several 
of them told the Sentinel that he inspires them to learn, to achieve 
their goals, and to make their voices heard about issues important to 
them. His South Lake colleagues also agree, including Assistant 
Principal Rebecca Scholl-Riedel, who nominated Beato and who said, 
``He's my sixth principal that I've worked for, and it's what he was 
meant to do.''
   As Vice Chair of the Education and Labor Committee, I strongly 
believe that students can achieve their goals with the support of 
people like Mr. Beato in leadership positions: leaders who focus on the 
academic and personal well-being of their students, leaders who promote 
collaboration among the education professionals in their schools, and 
leaders who inspire excellence and celebrate the achievements of 
everyone in their schools--even in unconventional ways. Mr. Beato has 
been known to tell high school juniors that if their class earns a 
higher SAT score than the previous year's juniors, he will shave his 
head or spend the night on the roof of the high school, and he honors 
those commitments, noting to the Sentinel, ``I've done it before.''
   Madam Speaker, this Friday, October 25, 2019, the South Lake High 
School community will come together at an assembly to show their pride 
that Robert Beato was named this year's Michigan Principal of the Year. 
I encourage my colleagues to join me in congratulating him for this 
richly deserved recognition, and in wishing him, his students, and his 
colleagues continued success.

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