FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 17, 2026
M-DCPS Honors Principal, Assistant Principal of the Year
Liberty City Elementary School Principal Lamar Johnson has been named Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) 2026 Principal of the Year at a ceremony held Thursday evening at the DoubleTree by Hilton, sponsored by the Dade Association of School Administrators (DASA).
"Liberty City Elementary's success is built on empowered teachers who lead boldly, collaborate effectively, and drive results," said Johnson. "By cultivating a culture where educators are developed, supported, and trusted as leaders, we have created a school where students thrive."
Johnson, an 18-year veteran of M-DCPS, began his career as a teacher at Poinciana Park Elementary School as a mathematics instructional coach, and worked as an assistant principal at Jesse J. McCrary Jr, Elementary School for seven years, where he won Assistant Principal of the Year in 2020.
Since becoming Liberty City Elementary School’s principal five years ago, the school has achieved an impressive turnaround from a “C” school to an “A” rating. Math proficiency rose from 28% to 72%, and Language Arts from 32% to 48%. Johnson credits strengthening progress monitoring cycles and deepening small-group instruction as important tools in this transformation. Johnson also expanded academic programs, including Head Start, gifted programs, chess, and Miami SCORES, which combine sports with literacy through poetry
He launched the Lion Bucks Program, a schoolwide incentive system where students earn Lion Bucks for academic progress, strong attendance, and positive behavior, and then redeem them for books, supplies, snacks, and privileges. Rather than relying on a punitive approach, the program shifts the focus to celebrating growth and positive decision-making. The result was profound, with passage rates rising and discipline referrals declining, culminating in the school’s first “A” rating since 2009.
At the heart of Johnson’s philosophy and his results is a belief that leadership is shared, growth is continuous, and every teacher feels ownership of student success. But at the end of the day, he feels that his crowning achievement is the change he has seen in the school and the impact that it has had on the community’s sense of pride.
Dr. Andre Jackson of Miami Jackson Senior High School won the top honor of Assistant Principal of the Year. An educator for 12 years, Jackson started in the Chicago Public Schools system and then joined M-DCPS as a 10th-grade reading instructor and literacy coach at Miami Central Senior High School, where he became its assistant principal just six years later.
“I truly believe that teachers determine the trajectory of a student’s life,” said Jackson. “My biggest investment has been building teacher capacity because it impacts the school community at large as well as our students. A quality teacher equates to a better society, a better future for our students.”
Since starting his position as Assistant Principal at Miami Jackson, Jackson has made an impact on his students and on their academic progress. When he arrived in 2022, Miami Jackson was a “C” school and is now a “B” school. When he noticed that students were stagnating in credit recovery classes, he met personally with students and with parents and established systems to monitor progress. During his tenure, the graduation rate increased from 80 percent to 96 percent.
When his principal put him in charge of the “Attendance Wars” initiative, Jackson sprang into action. Every day, the grade level with the highest attendance percentage was celebrated with spirited announcements, creating a friendly and fun competition. Ninth-grade students greeted students with drums and cheers; tenth graders sported class T-shirts, eleventh graders rolled a literal red carpet with a giant banner, and seniors played music and handed out snacks as students arrived in the morning. There was even an “Attendance Wars” rap over the PA system. Jackson’s hard work paid off when Miami Jackson won “Most Improved Attendance” for that grading period.
Jorge M. Bulnes from Southwest Miami Senior High School won Principal of the Year runner-up, and Karen Gonzalez Delgado from Miami Norland Senior High School won Assistant Principal of the Year runner-up.
The principal of the year winner will receive a three-year car lease from Headquarter Toyota, and the assistant principal of the year will receive a five-day cruise from Royal Caribbean. The runners-up will receive a cash prize. The dedication of these principals and assistant principals, their commitment to their students, and their achievements throughout the school year are yet another reason why M-DCPS is your best choice.
This event is made possible through a partnership with Headquarter Toyota, Equitable, EdFed, Royal Caribbean, South Florida Youth Foundation, Curriculum Associates, Horace Mann Educators Corporation, Overtown Youth Center, CDW Education, BENCOR, Hand2Mind, and Corebridge Financial.
TOP CAPTION: Lamar Johnson, 2026 Principal of the Year, Dr. Andre Jackson, 2026 Assistant Principal of the Year
