A Dickinson High School administrator is the state assistant principal of the year. Mickey Jordan received the award from the North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals.

He was recognized for his collaborative leadership style and work with a violence prevention program. He has been assistant principal at the high school since 1998.

The recognition program chooses recipients who are outstanding school leaders. The honorees are selected on their ability to work collaboratively with teachers and other staff, their willingness to improve student learning through leadership in curriculum, instruction and assessment, and their ability to personalize learning for students.

Through the Dickinson High School Respect and Protect Violence Prevention and Intervention Program, Jordan worked with teachers, students, staff and community members to create the program. A team meets every other week about concerns, reviews the student handbooks and considers policies that affect students.

"This process has been very successful for us because of the input we get from the different groups that are represented," he said.

Jordan also works with student teachers from Dickinson State University by providing them tips on classroom management. He also works closely with teachers at his school to help set goals that increase student learning.

His teaching career began in Westhope as a math and physical education teacher in 1977. In 1984, he moved to Richardton-Taylor Public Schools, where he taught math and physical education. He stayed there until he became assistant principal at DHS. He has an associate degree from Lake Region College that he earned in 1975 and a bachelor's degree that he earned from Mayville State University in 1977 and a master's degree from Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., in 1992.

Jordan will take part in a recognition program in April in Washington. He also will attend the National Association of Secondary School Principals national convention in San Antonio in February.