Rich Engel, West Albany High School Assistant Principal, has been named the 2018 Oregon Assistant Principal of the Year by the Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA) and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA). This award automatically places Engel in the running for National Assistant Principal of the Year Award from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

"Rich Engel is an outstanding selection for the OASSA Assistant Principal of the Year,” said Clint Raever, Toledo Jr/SR High School Principal and OASSA President. “Rich has been an achiever in every position he has held in education.  Rich is present and approachable in his school and builds strong relationships with staff and students.  Rich has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and plays an integral role at West Albany High School. Congratulations Rich Engel, 2017 OASSA Assistant Principal of the Year.”

Engel has been Assistant Principal at West Albany High School for the last six years after working as a family services consultant for six years, and subsequently a football coach, special education teacher, and dean of students. In the past year, Engel has been focusing specifically on curriculum and instruction, as well as assessment, staff development and special projects. Under his leadership, the school’s Special Education Department has added support classes for reading, writing, math and science; students have since raised their Lexile scores by 10% each year. Additionally, since focusing on the improvement of instructional practices in the English Department, their language arts smarter balance scores improved from 81% level 3/4 to 86% level 3/4.

In her nomination of Engel, West Albany High School Principal Susie Orsborn noted the unending dedication Engel has to always improving the lives of his students and the systems they go through. "Rich always shows a high level of personal accountability and follow­ through with high expectations set for him and others,” said Orsborn. “Through his modeling and leadership he brings a passion for education that is unwavering.   He empowers others to improve student achievement with collaborative but yet decisive direction.”

Engel will be honored at the 2018 COSA Annual Conference in Seaside in June and the National Principals Conference in Chicago in July.

About COSA and OASE

The Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA) serves and represents more than 2,300 school administrators, managers and executives.  COSA was founded in 1974 to give Oregon's education leaders a united voice in helping to shape public policy, advocate for schools and speak on behalf of students. In addition to advocacy, COSA supports and develops educational leaders with professional development opportunities -- including statewide conferences, regional seminars and workshops, and much more -- and an administrative licensure and advanced degree program. A member-driven umbrella organization, COSA is governed by an elected Board of Directors that represents the organization's four Departments: the Oregon Association of School Executives (OASE), the Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA), the Oregon Elementary School Principals Association (OESPA) and the Oregon Association of Central Office Administrators (OACOA).  For more information, visit www.cosa.k12.or.us.

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