RMS’s Moon honored as principal of year

RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville Middle School Principal Dr. Monica Moon has been selected as District 7N Middle School Principal of the Year.

She received her official award at the recent fall conference of the Alabama Association of Middle School Principals and Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals, organizations affiliated with the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools.

At the event, state officials and organization leaders honored her commitment to student achievement and leadership.

During the same week as the official award presentation, the Alabama State Board of Education recognized Russellville Middle School with a formal resolution.

The board commended the school for meeting and surpassing its participation and performance goals through a partnership with A+ College Ready, a nonprofit that works with Alabama schools to strengthen advanced coursework and increase college readiness.

A+ College Ready sets benchmarks for PSAT 8/9 performance — the PSAT 8/9 is a standardized test for eighth and ninth graders that evaluates reading, writing, and math skills.

According to state education leaders, achieving or exceeding these goals demonstrates that students are building foundational skills for future academic growth and college and career readiness.

Moon said reaching the PSAT 8/9 goals required a unified effort throughout the school.

“Our faculty invest extra hours to strengthen expectations in every classroom, and our students tackle increasingly rigorous coursework,” Moon said.

“This is just my second year as principal, and it is an honor to be recognized by my colleagues,” she said. “I have served as an assistant principal for seven years before stepping into this role. During those years, I benefited from mentorship both inside and outside the field of education.”

Moon said receiving the State Board of Education resolution is “a testament to the work and tireless dedication” of the faculty and staff, as well as to the “perseverance and determination of our Golden Tigers and their families.”

Moon said the growth process “is not easy,” noting it involves stretching beyond comfort zones.

“I could not be prouder of our school community’s resilience,” she added.

Moon emphasized that the school’s mission goes beyond test scores or ratings.

“We show up each and every day with the purpose of developing productive young adults who model The Golden Tiger Way in the things they do and say,” she said.

She cited the school’s core values — respect, integrity, kindness, responsibility, self-control, positive attitude, determination, and honesty.

Looking ahead, Moon said she remains optimistic about the school’s future.

“We may not always see every bit of progress immediately, but we believe in building on each success and supporting students as they become the future of our community,” she said.