DMACC Outstanding Alumni Award
Jay Slight
AA Liberal Arts 1991
Head Principal, Northview Middle School, Ankeny Community Schools
Urbandale, IA
From his time at DMACC through a variety of educational leadership positions to his role today as principal of Northview Middle School in Ankeny, Jay Slight has always been a team player. It is that commitment to involving others in addressing challenges that has earned him a reputation as an incredible educator and administrator.
Jay's journey in education started on DMACC's Boone Campus. As a student and basketball player, he quickly gained the respect of his teachers, teammates, and coaches. He earned his AA degree in 1991 and then moved on to Iowa State University where he completed his BS in biology.
As a teacher, a coach – Jay returned to serve as an assistant basketball coach at DMACC between 1999 and 2001 – and an administrator, Jay has been noted for his ability to build teams that turned around struggling schools.
In 2003, shortly after completing his Master's degree in Educational Leadership at Drake, he accepted the position of Head Principal at North Nodaway Middle and High School in Hopkins, Missouri. The school was in danger of losing its accreditation from the Missouri Department of Education. In short order, Jay worked with the faculty to implement strategies that saw the school make exponential progress on its annual performance report and ensuring its continued accreditation.
As the high school principal at Creston High School in southern Iowa, Jay oversaw a significant increase in reading and math scores across the school. In addition, ACT scores hit a five year high during his tenure, exceeding the state average for the first time in school history.
From Creston, Jay assumed the position of principal at Storm Lake Middle School in northwest Iowa, where he again oversaw an increase in reading and math scores. The school was also recognized as Commendable on the Iowa School Performance Profile.
Today, as principal of Northview Middle School, Jay has been praised by his peers for his commitment to students, his vision for success and his enthusiasm for working with others to create a better environment for learning.
