'If you're not here, you're not learning': Moorhead assistant principal named tops in state

MOORHEAD - Angela Doll, a Moorhead High School assistant principal, has been named the state's top assistant principal, in part for her work to improve at-risk student attendance.

The award from the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals recognizes outstanding middle school and high school assistant principals.

"I think it's quite an honor," Doll said. "It's really humbling. ... I just come to school and I do my job."

Doll said the award is the result of the teamwork between administrators and staff at the high school.

"I work with a great team. ... Our team deserves the award," Doll said.

Doll was recognized at the MASSP conference earlier this year and will accept the award at the group's summer conference in June, the Moorhead School District announced.

Doll has been an assistant principal at Moorhead High School since the 2013-14 school year.

"I'm just excited for her because she's so deserving of the honor," Principal Dave Lawrence said. "She's a real professional in the sense that she pays attention to such detail and is so organized."

Lawrence said Doll develops relationships with students and staff, and has led efforts to improve attendance by ninth- and 10th-graders who are at risk for dropping out.

Her work is "a real plus for Moorhead High School," he said.

Before becoming a high school assistant principal, Doll worked three years as the district's Learner Support Services program manager for grades 6-12.

Doll helped create and implement the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program, and she helped lead an initiative to improve attendance of at-risk learners, reducing classroom time lost to suspensions by more than 75 percent, the district and MASSP said.

"If you're not here, you're not learning. Attendance is really important," Doll said.

Doll said she likes working with at-risk children, giving them the extra attention they need and want from adults.

"High school students still need adults in their lives to guide them and help them. Our high schoolers still need support and guidance from us to be productive citizens when they graduate," Doll said. "No matter if they try to get into the workforce or go to an Ivy League college, each one of those kids need something from all of us. Each one of those kids need that support to have their dreams realized."