Three Administrators Receive Top Awards from the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals

Two Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) principals and one assistant principal have received awards from the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP).

Moreno Carrasco, principal of Richard Montgomery High School, recently was named High School Principal of the Year for Maryland, and Nelson McLeod, principal of Newport Mill Middle School, received the Middle School Principal of the Year award. Earlier this school year, Christopher Berry, assistant principal of James Hubert Blake High School, was named High School Assistant Principal of the Year. The three administrators now are eligible to be named national award winners.

Carrasco was highlighted as a strong leader who influences the behaviors of students and staff to improve academic achievement. Working in collaboration with staff, Carrasco has substantially increased the number of students taking Advanced Placement classes, securing the school a ranking among the top 100 high schools in the nation according to Newsweek magazine. Carrasco also is noted for personalizing the school environment. He was honored by the American Immigration Law Foundation at the 12th Annual Washington Immigrant Achievement Awards in March.

Newport Mill Principal Nelson McLeod adds the MASSP award to The Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership Award he won last fall. McLeod is noted for creating a true professional learning community at the school, which has become one of the highest performing middle schools in MCPS. Almost 68 percent of current eighth graders are taking Algebra 1 or higher level math. The school was recently named a finalist in the National Schools of Character awards competition.

Christopher Berry, this year’s high school assistant principal winner, has been a key player in creating James Hubert Blake High School’s school improvement plan. He was leader in the development of grant proposals that have resulted in more than $800,000 for implementation of Blake’s smaller learning community program. He has worked with school staff to establish a ninth grade academy to augment the student advisory program and to implement a career academy framework.