David Arledge, a Eureka High School assistant principal, was recently recognized as the High School Assistant Principal of the Year by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals (MoASSP).
Students and staff at Eureka High surprised him with the news of the award at an assembly on Dec. 16. He will receive the honor and give a speech during a MoASSP conference in Lake Ozark in March.
Last spring, Arledge was recognized as Assistant Principal of the Year by the St. Louis Association of Secondary School Principals and received a $250 grant which he gifted to Eureka High’s orchestra scholarship fund to help pay for future class trips.
This summer, Arledge will have the chance to become the nationally recognized Assistant Principal of the Year at a conference held in Seattle, Wash.
Clark Mershon, executive director of MoASSP, said at the surprise assembly that Arledge was chosen from a pool of more than 450 Missouri assistant principals for the award.
“Today we gather to honor a remarkable achievement not just for Eureka High School but for the entire Rockwood School District community,” Mershon said at the assembly. “The accolade reflects exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment and serves as a shining example of the dedicated educators you have at Eureka.”
Arledge said the MoASSP award is not an individual honor but rather reflects the amazing work done by Eureka High’s staff, students, parents and community. He particularly highlighted the work of his secretary, Leslie Jackson, who he said “is a gift to Eureka High.”
Arledge is in his sixth year at Eureka High and is the grade-level principal for the class of 2026.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that I have to work in such a phenomenal place,” Arledge said. “Not everybody gets that opportunity, and the chance to say, ‘I get to work at one of the best high schools in the state.’ When you look at our kids, our staff, our parents and the support we have, it’s a wonderful place to get up and go to work every day.”
Superintendent Curtis Cain said Arledge’s award is well-deserved. On a recent visit to Eureka High, Cain said he observed how students seem to naturally gravitate to Arledge.
“He’s a staple in the building,” Cain said. “He’s built so many genuine and meaningful relationships with students and staff and ultimately, families in the community. He’s a special individual.”
Principal Corey Sink said Arledge’s personality is “bigger than life.”
“He’s fun to be around,” Sink said. “The kids all know him, whether he’s their grade level principal or not. He finds joy in what he does, in being there for students.”
Arledge lives in Ballwin with his wife, Erin, and their three daughters, Ella, Brynn and Tessa. When the class of 2026, now juniors, first came to Eureka High as freshmen, Arledge said he would hold them to the same standards as his own children. He said the class “is something special.”
“If you look at my social media accounts, which shares accomplishments from the kids at school and so on, I always end with the phrase, ‘Create our legacy,’” Arledge said. “It’s not your legacy, it’s ours. I challenge them with everything we do from this time forward to create the legacy of the class of 2026.
“I’m very proud of them.”