GAMSP

What an incredible day celebrating excellence in middle level leadership! 💙🎉

Today, the Georgia Association of Middle School Principals (GAMSP), in partnership with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), surprised Dr. Holly Barnes at Columbia Middle School with the announcement that she has been named Georgia’s 2026 National Distinguished Principal (NDP) for Middle Level Education!

This prestigious recognition honors outstanding school leaders who make a lasting impact on students, staff, schools, and communities. Dr. Barnes exemplifies servant leadership, innovation, relationship-building, and an unwavering commitment to excellence for every student she serves.

We are also incredibly grateful for the continued partnership and support of Mr. Allen Thomas and Corebridge Financial, longtime sponsors of the GAMSP National Distinguished Principal Program. Your commitment to recognizing and supporting educational leadership across Georgia is deeply appreciated.

It was a joy to celebrate alongside her family, district leaders, colleagues, students, and community as we recognized this well-deserved honor. Dr. Barnes will represent Georgia at the NAESP National Distinguished Principals celebration in Washington, D.C. this fall and will also be recognized at Summer GAEL.

Congratulations, Dr. Barnes! Georgia is proud of you! 🍎✨

GAMSP friends, we want to know: What are you doing for Teacher Appreciation Week?

Part of our celebration will include a fun game of Traitors, and we would love to hear your creative ideas! Drop your plans, activities, treats, themes, or surprises below so we can share, inspire, and celebrate our amazing teachers together.

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Samantha Bradley of South Forsyth Middle School on being named Georgia's 2026 National Outstanding Assistant Principal!

This recognition honors exceptional leadership, service to students and staff, and a commitment to excellence in education.

We are proud to celebrate this outstanding accomplishment and look forward to recognizing her through the year at upcoming leadership events.

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!
National Association of Elementary School Principals
GAMSP

It's National Student Leadership Week! NAESP and the Association for Middle Level Education are hosting a webinar, "Moving Student Leadership From Events to Impact," today, April 20, at 5 p.m. ET. Register at www.naesp.org/for-students/national-student-leadership-week.

I had such a great time spending time at Okefenokee RESA with leaders from across K–12! There is nothing better than watching passionate educators dive into their data, engage in meaningful conversations, and commit to continuous professional learning—all in service of doing what’s best for students. That kind of focus and dedication is what strengthens our entire system.

A big thank you to Mr. John Tomlinson with Ramsey Education for sponsoring lunch for our leaders. Don’t you just love it when you can see and hear the passion from our partners? It truly makes a difference, and we appreciate your support of education at all levels!

As we keep the momentum going, don’t forget—registration for Summer GAEL opens Monday! This is the perfect time to get active, stay engaged, and renew your GAMSP membership by registering for Summer GAEL.

Let’s keep showing up, learning, and leading—together. 💪

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-tomlinson-1a1154194

Join us in celebrating excellence in middle level leadership! 🎉

We’re excited for the opportunity to meet with Dr. Calandra Holmes, principal of Atikinson County Middle School and formally congratulate her on receiving the Dr. Candy Norton Leadership Award—a well-deserved recognition of her outstanding impact, dedication, and leadership.

Her commitment to students, staff, and the school community truly represents the very best of what it means to lead at the middle level. 👏

Help us celebrate Dr. Holmes and this incredible achievement!

🎉 Celebrating Excellence in Leadership! 🎉Lakeside Middle

Finally able to recognize Dr. Megan Thompson, principal of Lakeside Middle School as a recipient of the Dr. Candy Norton Leadership Award!

This prestigious award honors outstanding middle-level leaders who exemplify vision, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to students, staff, and school communities. Megan’s leadership reflects the very best of what it means to serve with purpose, passion, and impact.

Her ability to inspire others, build strong school culture, and lead with both heart and excellence makes her truly deserving of this honor.

👏 Join us in congratulating Megan on this incredible achievement!

March is the quiet hard.
You're not in crisis. You're just holding everything together and wondering if anyone notices.
Your Monday reset: Drew Dudley's TED Talk — "Everyday Leadership."
He calls it the lollipop moment — that small thing you did for someone that changed everything for them. And you don't even remember doing it.
Right now, somebody in your building is telling that story about you. The hallway conversation. The way you showed up on their worst day. You didn't think twice about it. They never forgot it.
🍭 Had a lollipop moment this year? Drop it below.
🎥 Link in comments.

🏀🏆What a Championship Day for Learning!

Thank you to the incredible middle school leaders who joined us today for the GAMSP Spring Drive-In Conference in Houston County. Shout out to Houston County School District for hosting our event!

Your dedication to growing as leaders ultimately impacts thousands of students across Georgia.

A highlight of the day was celebrating and recognizing outstanding schools and principals across our state. We were proud to honor recipients of the Dr. Candy Norton Leadership Award, recognize schools earning the Bob Puckett Effective Middle School Program designation and celebrate the recipients of the Linda Hopping National Merit Award.

These recognitions reflect the incredible leadership commitment to middle level excellence, and the lasting impact our educators make in the lives of students every day.

Thank you to our presenters, sponsors, and participants for making today a success. Success does not happen without the support of our GAEL team, GAMSP PL Team, and especially Houston County School System for hosting our event!

Until next time...keep leading, learning, and making a difference.

The Power of Connection

One of the best parts of the GAMSP Spring Conference is the opportunity for middle school leaders from across Georgia to connect, share experiences, and support one another.

Great ideas happen when passionate educators come together!

Refuel at Halftime!!

Our leaders are taking a quick break to recharge with a fantastic lunch from Georgia Bob’s while connecting with our amazing sponsors.

Before heading into the second half of the day, participants enjoyed a Halftine Pep Talk from Dr. Mark Wilson, encouraging middle school leaders to stay energized and focused as they head into the final stretch of the school year. His message reminded us that strong leadership keeps our teams motivated and our students winning.