TASD administrators finish Master Principal Program
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Principals Leah Sams and Samantha Coleman recently completed the Arkansas Leadership Academy Master Principal Institute Phase III.
The Master Principal Program provides training and opportunities to expand the knowledge base and leadership skills of public school principals. The Master Principal Program was established by the Arkansas 84th General Assembly in 2003 and signed into law as Act 44 by the governor; it was updated in 2013.
The program is a competitive three-phase process for practicing principals that culminates with the opportunity to apply for Master Principal designation.
Sams is currently the principal at College Hill Middle School 6th Grade Academy for the Texarkana Arkansas School District.
“Sams’ passion is to bring excitement and enthusiasm to school and make the ordinary day an extraordinary memory,” a news release states.
“Over the last three years, the Master Principal Program has provided me with the opportunity to grow personally and professionally,” Sams said.
Coleman has worked in education for the past 11 years. During this time, she has been a teacher, assistant principal, associate principal, and head principal. While in the Texarkana Arkansas School District, she has served at Kilpatrick Elementary School, College Hill Middle School and Union Elementary School.
For the upcoming school year, Coleman will serve as the head principal for North Heights Community School, which will be TASD’s new accelerated elementary school. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Junior League of Texarkana.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the Master Principal Program,” she said. “During my three years of study, I have experienced high quality training with an emphasis on developing my leadership skills.”
Coleman believes that the Master Principal Program provided an opportunity that has allowed her to not only leverage her current strengths but build upon new learning in a way that has impacted her current performance in a leadership role.