A Central Oregon principal was just named the first Gold Star Educator Award winner by OnPoint Community Credit. And with it, he gets his mortgage or rent paid for over the next year, plus money for his school.
Samuel Platt is principal of Tumalo Community School in Redmond. The school will get $2,500 as part of the award.
Here is what OnPoint wrote about Platt.
Samuel Platt’s energy, love, and dedication have helped bring the Tumalo Community School to life.
Platt championed the district’s first music program in 2022, his first year on the job. The program included a new music teacher and the elementary school’s first-ever concert. Platt also secured funding and staffing for eight after-school clubs in one week.
Platt has quickly immersed himself in student life and gained an innate understanding of his school’s needs. He has created initiatives such as the Comeback Kids, which supports faculty with tools that catch students up after two years of remote learning. Platt recognizes every student’s birthday and their accomplishments over the school’s loudspeaker. He also created the Kindness Awards assembly to honor students who have gone above and beyond to show kindness.
The Gold Star Educator Award is for pre-kindergarten teachers, school counselors, substitute teachers, librarians, or school administrators.
Desert Sky Montessori in Bend also won a $2,000 Community Builder Award for its Outdoor Book Nooks program. It provides six child-sized reading nooks, each with waterproof storage areas for pillows, blankets and mats, and mini libraries stocked with a range of books for grades K-6.
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