Daniel Evans

Position: PrincipalSchool: Moores Mill Intermediate SchoolSchool District: Madison County SchoolsCity, State: New Market, Alabama
About the Nominee: Daniel Evans' first year as a principal just concluded, and it is truly extraordinary the difference he is making in students’ lives daily! On the students' first day back to school for the 2015-2016 school year, Mr. Evans could be found walking on the lunchroom tables with a Dr. Seuss hat on his head. He told the students how awesome this school year was going to be and how thankful he was to be with the students at Moores-Mill Intermediate School! The students adored Mr. Evans from that point forward.He has implemented research-based Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies into the environment at MMIS. If the students behaved well all week, they were rewarded with Karaoke Friday! Children who were normally too shy to speak up in class could be found on the stage belting out "Hello" by Adele. Mr. Evans not only transformed the environment and atmosphere, but he also transformed the way the school looks. He had an amazing artist paint the walls in the school with the "Warrior Creed" (they are the Warriors), illustrating the importance of school spirit and ownership.Mr. Evans is not only a leader within his own school; even district leaders come to him with questions and comments about his school. He is highly respected among all of his faculty and staff. Additionally, Mr. Evans recently acquired his Educational Specialist degree from Samford University, and he considers himself a life-long learner. He expects the very best from his students and teachers, which is why his school’s test scores set the bar for the county. He produces a nurturing atmosphere, and the teachers know they can come to him if they need help.Personality-wise, Mr. Evans is very approachable, personable, and friendly to everyone he encounters. His rapport with parents cannot be matched; he is in constant communication with them, even if he is just praising a students’ behavior or English grades. Parents can be found volunteering at MMIS on a daily basis. Mr. Evans has an open-door policy for parents and volunteers, which makes his teachers’ lives much easier!Mr. Evans adheres to high moral and ethical standards. He always chooses to do the right thing, and he never wants any of the attention or praise. Instead, he would rather see teachers get the praise.Outside of his professional career, he volunteers every weekend at the House of the Harvest, which is a local food pantry created by Madison County teachers to feed their students on the weekends. Mr. Evans created a small “Greater Goods” pantry in his building to feed students who have an immediate need. He filled the pantry with kid-friendly snacks and lets the students pick out what they want when they come to school hungry.The ways that Mr. Evans has changed his students' lives for the better are endless, and all of the encouraging initiatives and strategies he has implemented have benefited them greatly![nominee_videos nominee_email="dlevans@mcssk12.org"]