Sarah Goodman, a Eureka High School associate principal, was recognized as the High School Assistant Principal of the Year by the St. Louis Association of Secondary School Principals (SASSP) during an April 24 ceremony.
Students, staff and Goodman’s family surprised her with the news of the award on April 3 during a school assembly.
Goodman said she was in a meeting when a call came through that a student was having an emergency in the school’s lobby. As she rushed to help the student, she soon realized there was no emergency, but rather everyone was gathered to celebrate her.
“It was a complete surprise,” she said. “I was moving quickly to the front of the school and then was just staggered to see everybody out there.”
Principals from Eureka High have won the award in back-to-back years. Assistant principal David Arledge won the regional award last April and went on to receive the state award from the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals in December.
According to SASSP, the award highlights principals who go above and beyond for students and staff.
The SASSP is one of eight regions in Missouri. The organization covers more than 30 school districts and private schools in the St. Louis metro area.
Goodman, 37, of Wildwood said while she was notified of her nomination for the award earlier in the school year, she didn’t think she’d win.
“I thought, you know, Dr. Arledge just won the award last year, and I cannot imagine that they would go to the same school district, let alone the same school in back-to-back years,” Goodman said. “I really just kind of assumed, ‘Oh, that was nice to be nominated,’ and that would be the end of it. I was definitely shocked and overwhelmed.”
With the regional award comes a $250 scholarship that Goodman can give to any student at Eureka High. She chose to give the scholarship to senior Tyler Srsen.
She said she chose Srsen because he was instrumental in organizing the high school’s Special Olympics event with other area schools earlier this year.
“Tyler did so much behind-the-scenes work, whether it was creating spreadsheets or communicating with teachers and other staff members and students, and then he ran the training for all of the students on the day of the event,” Goodman said. “I just think he is a fantastic representation of Eureka High student leadership.”
Goodman began her career in education at Eureka High in 2009, teaching English language arts for 12 years. She moved to Rockwood Summit High School in 2021, working as an assistant principal for three years. She returned to her old stomping grounds at Eureka High this school year as an associate principal.
Goodman said associate principals help students at every grade level, whereas assistant principals are assigned a class of students to follow their entire high school journey.
Goodman oversees professional learning at the school and is also spearheading Eureka High’s efforts to become a National School of Character. She said the school will apply for the designation next year.
This year, Goodman helped students organize the Special Olympics programming.
“What’s special about getting to work with Special Olympics is that, because it is a student-run organization, you’re facilitating students as they do all of this planning,” she said. “It’s a really neat leadership experience that culminates in this awesome, inclusive day that is just one of the best days of the school year.”