Miami-Dade Principal Douglas Rodriguez Wins
Who is in this story:
Statewide $10,000 Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award
Douglas Rodriguez, Principal of Ronald Reagan/Doral Senior High, is the winner of the $10,000 Annual Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award, bestowed by the Council at a special event November 19th, where the winner received his award from the event’s special guest speaker and educational advocate, Gloria Estefan.
“This event shines a bright spotlight on outstanding Principal leadership,” said Gloria Estefan. “During difficult financial times, these Principals find creative ways to do all the right things for the right reason—our children.”
The statewide Award is now in its 6th year. It recognizes and rewards outstanding Principal leadership and is presented annually to a high-performing Florida Principal. The $10,000 is for personal use. Former Principal winners include: Bart Christie, Miami-Dade; Dr. Pat Dixon, Broward (now with the Council); Jackie Byrd, Duval; Linda Geller, Hillsborough; and Peg Pearson, Pinellas.
It honors the late Leonard Miller, Council founder and Chair of its predecessor organization, the $100 million South Florida Annenberg Challenge. The winners were chosen from statewide applicants who demonstrated extraordinary leadership--the Award’s focus and reflective of Mr. Miller’s vision--in a statewide Council program(s) in these three criteria: raised student achievement, gains and growth; empowered and developed staff leadership; and formed meaningful partnerships with business, parents and community.Principal Rodriguez participates in the Council’s Executive PASS model, partnering with Eugenio Jaramillo from MCM Corp. He also participated in Executive PASS when he was the Principal of Miami Springs High. Executive PASS is the brainchild of Council Chair Steve Saiontz. The model teams a business leader and Principal who partner on targeted school improvement. There are currently 41 Executive PASS models—with 23 in Miami-Dade and the rest in Hillsborough and Orange.
| Accomplishments, Principal Rodriguez: • opened Ronald Reagan/Doral Senior High in Miami-Dade as a new school • achieved and maintained an A grade since opening the school, for the last two years • met AYP graduation criteria this year • establishing work partnerships which will provide internships for 150 students • provides individual support--tutoring, small classes, and computer assisted instruction-- for special needs students • promotes student access to, and success in, advanced placement courses; involves students in planning future course offerings • named Florida State and Miami-Dade County Principal of the Year in 2008 • raised grade from a D to a B in former school of Miami Springs High |
The event was hosted by Sue Miller, Council Board Member and Educational Advancement Committee Chair, at her Star Island residence. All three Principal finalists, including Mr. Rodriguez, Dr. Rosann Sidener, Miami Beach High in Miami-Dade, and Terry Strong, Winston Elementary in Polk, were designated Gold Medallion Winners. Both Sidener and Strong received $5,000 each, for personal use.
Attending the event were: Ambassador Chuck Cobb, Senator Dan Gelber, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower , Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Board Member Roberto Martinez, FLDOE Deputy Chancellor Pam Stewart and Council Board Members and leadership. Miami-Dade Supt. Alberto Carvalho was on the program and Senior Director of Polk Elementary Schools, Diana Myrick, represented Polk Supt. Dr. Gail McKinzie at the event. Many former Award Winners also participated.
The event was sponsored by Baptist Health South Florida, Carnival Cruise Lines, Cobb Family Foundation, Edward W. Easton, Lennar Foundation, Richard and Susan Finkelstein, and Akerman Senterfitt.
The Council’s mission is Leading the Way to Better Education. Council programs and activities have benefitted more than one million students and developed the leadership of some 5,000 school leaders.
