Boerne’s Joannou earns ‘Assistant Principal of the Year’ recognition

BY BRYAN BENWAY Boerne ISD Communication

Van Raub Elementary School Assistant Principal Michael Joannou has been selected as the Region 20 Assistant Principal of the Year by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association.

The award is given annually to 20 educators statewide for their outstanding service to TEPSA.

Joannou, in his third year as the Van Raub assistant principal, began his career in 2008 as an educator as a learning mentor and attendance officer at Lordship Lane Primary School in North London, England. His role involved working with children who had behavioral, social, and emotional difficulties to remove barriers to learning.

Joannou said this experience confirmed that teaching was the career path for him. He completed his degree while working at Lordship Lane Primary and began teaching kindergarten in 2014.

Joannou began teaching in Boerne ISD at Cibolo Creek Elementary. In 2019, Joannou began his master’s degree and administration internship during his final year at CCES.

In the summer of 2020, Joannou joined the team at Herff Elementary as an instructional coach. During this time, he earned his principal certification.

As Van Raub’s multi-tier system of support (MTSS) facilitator, Joannou developed a refined referral and tracking process that caters to the evolving needs of the campus and students.

Van Raub attributes their MTSS processes as a significant contribution to the campus earning an “A” rating and receiving its first two distinctions in the school's history. These were awarded for comparative academic growth and mathematics.

To further strengthen Van Raub’s bond with the community, Joannou introduced the All-Pro Dad program on the campus. Alongside a parent volunteer, he has been running the All-Pro Dad chapter at Van Raub for two years.

All-Pro Dads allows fathers and male relatives to connect with their children on campus and engage in meaningful discussions about various character traits. The program has seen tremendous success, with around 100 participants at each meeting.

Joannou will be honored at the annual TEPSA awards conference later this year and is a finalist for National Assistant Principal of the Year.