Lakeside Middle School Assistant Principal Julie Quast was recently named the Arkansas Association of Middle Level Administrators Assistant Principal of the Year for her ability to provide high-quality learning, while also making a difference in students' lives.
According to the AAMLA, the award is given each year to an Arkansas middle school assistant principal who has been acknowledged by their peers for exemplary contributions to the profession.
After graduating from Henderson State University, Quast, who later taught at her alma mater, went on to serve in numerous educational roles, including teaching kindergarten and serving as a literacy coach and curriculum coordinator, before coming to Lakeside a few short years ago.
Video not playing? Click here https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tu81rBlBLl8
Perhaps no greater affirmation was made as to her selection than when being enthusiastically applauded by her students upon accepting the award.
"The day before our Christmas break, we had gathered our students for a movie in our LPAC, our performing arts center, and Mr. (Lakeside superintendent, Shawn) Cook got on the stage -- I had no idea -- I was wearing my pajamas," she said, laughing.
"And so it was a very big surprise that I was named. I knew that I had been nominated, because you submit some work for the nomination, but I did not ever expect that I would receive the award."
Quast, who has always known she wanted to teach, said her family was in the crowd, as well.
"The kids were there and then my family was there, so that was really special. I don't want to get emotional about it, but the kids started chanting, 'Dr. Quast! Dr. Quast! Dr. Quast!' So that was really (special). You know, we do this for the kids," she said.
"We show up every day to help make their day better and help them learn to be the best they can be. So neat to see them be excited."
She said one of the keys to her personal education philosophy is "knowing your students" and being able to reach them at their own individual level and unique situation. She said she is very humbled to receive the award, adding that education is truly a team effort.
"It's really a recognition beyond myself," she said.
"I think you have to know your kiddos, know your students. That's probably my most important thing, obviously, is our kids and knowing that students have so many different things in their lives that aren't like what we experience at home always. They have hard things that they go through.
"So ensuring that we're meeting all of their needs ... Of course, the academics is important -- that's why they're here, to learn -- but we have to make sure that we're meeting all of their needs, the whole child is taken care of," Quast said.
Using an idea that she got off social media, Quast has a cart that takes throughout campus while interacting with students and teachers. She said she loves the idea of having all of her things together. On the front, there is a poster that reads, "I don't have all the answers, but I want to be there to help."
"So whatever it is, I'll help you work through it. Even if we can't solve it, we'll try our best. So on the cart, I have mints -- the teachers like those. Sometimes it magically shows up with Doritos for a teacher or something they might like," she said.
On the side of her cart, she has a sensory basket. She said if students are having a hard time and she has to bring them into the hall or something, she has magazines and different things they can look at to help. She and some of her fellow teachers recently started a book club and their first book dealt with having a trauma-sensitive classroom.
"Having a place to be safe and to calm down is some of the things that we learned in that," she said. "So I have that on my cart instead of in my office. And then the 10 teachers that participated in the conversation have that in their classroom, have a safe spot for their students in their classroom."
Having a positive culture in school is another key aspect Quast values, noting "I think you want teachers to want to come to work."
"You want your staff to want to be here, so I think it's so important just to have a place where we're like a family -- I guess, 'Ram Fam.' People say that at Lakeside, but just really where we care about each other," she said.
"We care about what's happening in each other's lives and supporting each other through that. And I feel like if you can have that level of respect and care for others, then they're going to be able to give back to their students."
Lakeside Middle School Assistant Principal Julie Quast, recently named the Arkansas Association of Middle Level Administrators Assistant Principal of the Year, talks about the award - Photo by Donald Cross of The Sentinel-Record