Eagle Valley Middle School students celebrate principal Lee Conley's principal of the year award.
Eagle Valley Middle School Principal Lee Conley was awarded the Administrator of the Year Award by the Nevada Association of School Boards.
Carson City Superintendent Richard Stokes announced the award to the school board last week.
“Mr. Conley is well known for being a fun-loving principal who does his job with great skill and diplomacy,” said Stokes. “We are lucky to have him.”
Conley was awarded the honor at the annual NASB conference in Reno at the end of November. He said he wasn’t aware of the award until he got to the conference, and though Conley said he wasn’t expecting the award, he feels honored that his work was recognized by the state.
“I work with so many good administrators in Carson City and in the state, but to know that I was nominated, considered, and selected, I know it wasn’t a gimmie award,” Conley said. “I am confident that I earned it, but I was not expecting it.
“It is humbling,” Conley added. “You don’t get into this field to get these, but to be recognized, it is positive and motivating for me.”
He said he also is happy the award can be linked to Eagle Valley Middle School because it shows the progression the school has made in six years. When Conley first was hired as principal, Eagle Valley was in the lowest percentile for school performance ratings. Now, the EVMS staff has the school rated as a four-star school.
“It was good to have brought in a good staff and it has been lovely working with the people I do,” Conley said. “It is great that the district gave me the opportunity to do this. And I know it’s not just me, I wouldn’t have gotten this award without the people around me.”
When Conley isn’t at school, the Wyoming native can be found with his wife and his horses, just hanging out at home, riding the trails or traveling the world. He is also in the process of getting his doctorate at University of Nevada, Reno. Conley said he is planning on staying a principal for a while longer, but is considering trying to branch out, possibly to work with other schools that receive the School Improvement Grant that Eagle Valley received six years ago.
“I want to see what doors this opens, but I want to be in as close contact with the kids and be able to work with them,” Conley said. “I came to Eagle Valley with the School Improvement Grant so I want to work with other schools who are going through that so I can still work with the administrators, teachers and kids.”
Conley has been with Carson City for nearly 21 years, working as a P.E. teacher to administrator. He has also taught at Empire Elementary and Seeliger Elementary.
