California’s Middle School Principal of the Year

Anne Allen, Principal at McAuliffe Middle School, was selected as California’s Middle School Principal of the Year.
The Los Alamitos School District Board honored Allen for winning the award at its board meeting on March 28.
Allen told the board and an assembled group of McAuliffe teachers, students and parents that “the reason I do my work is for kids and teachers and parents and our school community. I am deeply honored and grateful and very proud to represent our district, and I so enjoy the beautiful transformation of kids in middle school and have enjoyed it for more than 30 years. There is no other job I want to do.”
Superintendent Dr. Sherry Kropp made an announcement about Allen’s accomplishment via email to the Los Alamitos community on March 28.
“I am beyond ecstatic to announce that Mrs. Annie Allen, McAuliffe Principal, has been selected as the Middle School Principal of the Year for the entire State of California,” said Kropp in the email. “Annie is an amazing leader who cares deeply for students, her staff, and the District.  She inspires all of us to be the best we can be and epitomizes what is great about Los Al. She has been in the District for 30 years, all of them at McAuliffe Middle School.”
In recognizing Allen, Los Al School Board President Meg Cutuli said Allen “embodies Los Al.”
Allen, who has worked in the district for 34 years—all of them at McAuliffe—as a teacher, learning specialist and administrator, was previously given the awards of administrator of the year by the Los Al School District and the entire Orange County.
She received her state award from the Association of California School Administrators.
At the meeting, Kropp said Allen possesses “the spirit of excellence coupled with the spirit of love. She reminds us that we are about what’s best for kids and that we need to do our work with passion and love.”

This article appeared in the April 5, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.