This spring, Dr. Chris Ries, principal at STEAM Middle, was officially awarded the 2023 Jim L. King Missouri Middle School Principal of Year Award at the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals’ Conference at Lodge of Four Seasons, Lake Ozark, Mo.

A state ranking released in January has STEAM Academy ranked # 2 in Missouri. STEAM Academy has a student enrollment of 246 students in grades 6-8. In her 6th year as the principal of a school that she helped launch, Dr. Ries empowers students to be leaders allowing student voices to be shared and heard. The awards program recognizes exemplary performance among secondary school principals who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students. 

The St. Louis Association of Secondary School Principals (SASSP) is a district within the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals (MoASSP) and covers 31 school districts and private schools throughout the St. Louis metro area. 

Each MoASSP district selects one individual to be recognized as Middle School Principal of the Year. This honor allows Ries to be entered into the national Principal of the Year award program.