Last week, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) met with Efe Agbamu and Jeff Scherber to congratulate them on receiving the Minnesota Principal of the Year award.

Earlier this year, Efe Agbamu was named Minnesota's 2011 High School Principal of the Year for her service as principal of Park High School in Cottage Grove. Jeff Scherber, principal of Monticello Valley Middle School, was named the state's Middle School Principal of the year. Both honors were awarded by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals. Sen. Franken met with the winners at his office in Washington, D.C. where the three discussed the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB), and talked about education strategies that the principals implemented in their schools.

"Great administrators foster a supportive learning environment and give teachers the tools they need to educate our kids so they can compete for the jobs of the future," said Sen. Franken. "Principal Agbaumu and Principal Scherber are two of the best principals in the country and we're lucky to have them in leading our schools. I commend them on winning this award."
 
On Friday, the Senate passed a bipartisan resolution sponsored by Sen. Franken designating October 2011 "National Principals Month."
 
Soon after joining the Senate, Sen. Franken introduced legislation with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) that would help schools recruit talented candidates for positions as principals. He has been working to include that legislation, the School Principal Recruitment and Training Act, in next year's reauthorization of NCLB, in which Sen. Franken will play a key role because of his position on the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. You can find more information about that bill here. 
 
Candidates for Minnesota Principal of the Year are evaluated based on the ability to achieve goals in the school community, improving teaching and learning through implementing programs encouraging student achievement, and providing a positive school environment for both staff and students.