School assemblies don’t typically come with a $25,000 cash prize. In the West Valley, however, that’s exactly what happened Wednesday when Rogers Ranch Elementary School Principal Timothy Thomas was presented with the Milken Educator Award.
Thomas was one of 35 educators nationwide to receive this award this school year. Officials with the Milken Family Foundation say he was chosen in part because of his help in improving student achievement and staff turnover rates at the school.
Thomas was not notified he’d be getting the award in Wednesday’s school assembly. He says he thought they were gathering to launch a new science curriculum initiative.
"When my name was announced, I was surprised," Thomas said. "When my name was announced I was honored, when my name was announced, I felt very humbled."
Thomas has been the principal at Rogers Ranch Elementary since 2013.
