[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 20799]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              2000 NATIONAL DISTINGUISHED PRINCIPALS AWARD

 Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to 
congratulate an exceptional elementary school principal, Mr. Karl 
Schleich of Wasilla, Alaska. He is the 2000 recipient of the National 
Distinguished Principals Award for Alaska.
  The National Distinguished Principals Program (NDP) was established 
in 1984 as an annual event to honor elementary and middle school 
principals who set the pace, character, and quality of the education 
children receive during their early school years. The program is 
jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and the National 
Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). It calls attention 
to the fundamental importance of the school principal in achieving 
educational excellence for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade 
students.
  Mr. Schleich's reputation for getting things done was established in 
southeast Alaska when, in his first position as an educational leader, 
he oversaw the creation of a grade 6-8 middle school in a former grade 
7-12 building and then founded a regional association to support others 
making similar transitions. As an assistant principal, he helped model 
a middle school program that received statewide and national attention. 
In his role as principal at Snowshoe Elementary School, he has boosted 
school improvement efforts, developed and trained staff in schoolwide 
assessments of writing, reading comprehension, and early literacy 
skills, as well as portfolios of children's work. Karl Schleich is 
commended by his colleagues for his uncommon interpersonal skills and 
energy that he has demonstrated in his 12 years as a principal.
  Our Nation's future depends on today's educators. Currently, 40 
percent of America's 4th graders read below the basic level on national 
reading tests. On international tests, the nation's 12th graders rank 
last in Advanced Physics compared with students in 18 other countries. 
And one-third of all incoming college freshmen must enroll in a 
remedial reading, writing, or mathematics class before taking regular 
courses. This country is in need of more devoted and talented 
educators. I commend Mr. Schleich for his hard work and dedication to 
our children. He is educating those who will lead this country in 
creating, developing, and putting to work new ideas and 
technology.

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