Alston Named Middle School Principal of the Year

Glen Cove's Robert M. Finley Middle School principal Anael Alston has been honored by SAANYS

Glen Cove administrator Dr. Anael Alston has been named Middle School Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

The Robert M. Finley Middle School principal recieved the annual award for his role as "a school leader who has set the pace, character, and quality of education for the children in his or her school, " said a spokesperson for the SAANYS. "Nominees are administrators who are committed to students, parents, and the community and have shown exceptional contributions to the educational process."

Alston will be honored in May at the SAANYS annual awards in Latham, NY.

This is not the first award Alston has receieved this year. He also recieved the 2011 Nassau BOCES “Education Partner” award in Febuary, an honor given to 14 participants.

SAANYS executive director Kevin Casey said Alston's “achievements in school administration are outstanding and his dedication to the field of education exemplary.”

Alston – who's served as principal of Finley Middle School since 2005 – has over 16 years of experience in education.

“I have witnessed and believe in the transformative power of a quality education. I take that belief to work with me daily," Alston said. “We have learned to work together to meet the needs of the students. In effect, we’ve realized that our successes are inextricably bound.”

Under Alston's administration, Finley Middle School was recently named a MetLife Foundation-NASSP .... The award recognized high achievement in education and was only given to five other schools in the nation.