2020 Principal of the Year

Tim Little :: Marsing High School

Fifth year Principal of Marsing High School, Tim Little, has been selected the 2020 Principal of the Year by IASSP.

Certified in education from Eastern (BS, Ed.) and Western (MS, Ed.) Oregon Universities, and certified in education administration from University of Idaho (EdD), Little delivers a wealth of innovative educational opportunities, as well as collaborative efforts to make Marsing High School a safe place for students to thrive and succeed.

Though Marsing High School employs only 15 teachers, there are 36 dual credit opportunities on site, in partnership with BSU, NNU and CWI.

The school is also part of a consortium of small schools that offer CTE classes in the fields of nursing, EMT, diesel and auto mechanics, culinary arts and police training.

Marsing High School's STEAM Club received a grant to start an international partnership with a sister school in Costa Rica. Students from both schools will collect and compare data from their local weather stations in order to discuss and predict international climate patterns, impacts, problems and solutions. Participating students earn internship status with BSU.

Under Little's leadership, many major decisions have been informed by a team of 3 staff members, a school counselor, administrators, a parent and -where appropriate- students and entities from the community. They collaborate on academic, social and civic issues and look for ways to implement positive changes within the building.

Here are some of the things people who work with Mr. Little had to say:

...teachers I have had at Marsing High School genuinely care and work hard ...for the benefit of the students. Thanks to our principal, that student and staff relationship has been made a priority. -12th grader at MHS

Tim ...makes sure [the building] is neat and clean and safe, ...that teachers and students have a physical environment suited for success. Tim sets high expectations, ...advocates advanced opportunities, ...academic rigor, and the school has some of the state's highest ISAT scores! Finally, he promotes compassion, ...a culture of fairness and anti-bullying ...to help students navigate a new and challenging world outside of the building. -ELA Teacher at MHS

He ...empowers others and ...[goes] out of his way to help them achieve their full potential. Mr. Little is versatile, innovative and open to new ideas. He strives to incorporate techniques and activities that enable students to have unique and meaningful new growth experiences in a small rural school district with limited resources. Mr. Little also serves as the Athletic Director and Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach. Mr. Little builds leadership in his students by teaching life skills and supporting extra-curricular activities. -fellow Marsing School District administrator

Mr. Little fosters an attitude of mutual respect and tolerance for students and staff by exhibiting exemplary behavior and thoughtfulness for the diverse cultures within the school. Discussing [students'] needs, watching interactions between students and between students and staff, listening to parents and the community are just some of the ways Tim Little stays on top of the ever-changing ...student culture. Mr. Little is open to any conversation that might lead to improving the ...learning community of his school; ...[he] knows that there are nuggets of value in every suggestion. -MHS parent