The Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals recently selected Jennifer Tiller as the 2012 Missouri Middle School Principal of the Year, recognizing her impact in the areas of collaborative leadership and curriculum, instruction and assessment and her personalization of the learning environment.

Tiller is principal of Truman Middle School in Lindbergh Schools, and before that she was principal of Sperreng Middle School, orchestrating its split into two smaller middles in 2011.

“Dr. Tiller is a top-notch administrator,” Superintendent Jim Simpson stated in a district news release. “She is an instructional leader in our learning community and professional development efforts, and has been an outstanding professional development advocate and organizer.

“Dr. Tiller’s work in personalizing the student environment has made a significant impact on student learning at Sperreng and Truman.”

Sperreng previously was the largest middle school in the state, with 1,350 students housed in one building. Tiller led the transition to reopen Truman as a second middle school last fall, eliminating overcrowding at Sperreng and creating two smaller, equally high-quality cultures in the Lindbergh district.

“High expectations are exemplified in the way Dr. Tiller maintains our school,” Truman PTO President Kim Butz stated in the release. “Teachers and students know their best is necessary every day … Dr. Tiller creates an atmosphere that is safe, secure, caring and warm.”

More than 400 middle school principals throughout Missouri competed for this prestigious honor.

Tiller will receive her award during the annual MASSP Spring Conference on March 26. In addition, she will represent Missouri in the MetLife/National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Middle School Principal of the Year Program.