Pender Makin named Maine’s High School Principal of the Year

Pender Makin, who received her teacher certification from UNE’s Department of Education in 1996, has been named 2013’s Maine High school Principal of the Year.

Makin is the principal of the REAL School, which is funded and operated by the Windham-Raymond Regional School Unit 14.  The name of the school is short for Regional Educational Alternative Learning.  The REAL School is an alternative, adventure- and service-based high school for students who have struggled in traditional school settings.  REAL School students are from several school districts.

Makin was presented with the award by the Maine Principals’ Association on March 4th during a school assembly.

Of her award, Makin said, “I accept it with grateful and humble appreciation on behalf of our wonderful school.  And anything to do with my honor is simply a reflection of everything that everyone else is doing.”

Makin is now contending for the national High School Principal of the Year Award to be named by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.