Renton High School Assistant Principal Jessica Buchan is the 2023 Washington State Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year

Renton School District AP focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion and is always student-centered.

OLYMPIA — Jessica Buchan, assistant principal at Renton High School in the Renton School District, was named this year’s Washington State Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year. Buchan will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), where she will compete with winners from other states for the NASSP’s National Assistant Principal of the Year award, announced in early April.

Buchan has been an assistant principal for six years, serving in that role for the past two years at Renton High School. She believes all teachers have the capability to be master teachers, which grounds her work in teacher observation, feedback cycles, and evaluation. With her International Baccalaureate and AVID background, she knows all students need access to rigorous instruction and the proper support to reach high expectations. 

Taking pride in her instructional leadership, Buchan coaches teachers on a variety of pedological practices. This allows teachers to increase challenges for students and, at the same time, provide support and access for students furthest from educational justice. Buchan values all voices and makes an effort to seek out traditionally underrepresented groups when making decisions, from hourly staff not often present in meetings to parents working multiple jobs who might not be able to attend events or have a presence at the school.

In her time at Renton High School, her leadership helped the school in creating systems and structures to help student achievement and increase student attendance. For example, the amount of students attending 95-100 percent of the time has increased by 20 percent. Not only are more students there, more often, but the ASB has become more representative of student voice and their actions more relevant to the school community.

“When discussing new initiatives, Jessica always brings the discussion back to ‘Is this good for kids?’ If it’s good for kids, it’s hard to go wrong,” said Gioia Pitts, the district’s Chief of Secondary Education. She added, “She is passionate about making a difference in the lives of students. This involves reaching all students, motivating the unmotivated, and building authentic relationships. She never gives up.”

Whether through her instructional leadership skills, her equity-centered leadership focusing on each students’ needs, or her impact on culture, climate, and community, Buchan helps make Renton High School a better place for everyone. Nowhere does this show up more than in her desire to keep what’s best for kids front and center.

“The job of a high school assistant principal is filled with many challenges and rewards. While all school staff work in unison each day to provide students with meaningful education, it is outstanding that Jessica’s hard work in this role as well as her commitment to serving students, families, and staff is being honored by AWSP,” said Dr. Damien Pattenaude, Superintendent of the Renton School District.

Download the press release (PDF). 

For More Information  David Morrill | Communications & Technology Director | (800) 562-6100