Each year, five Baltimore City Public School principals are selected as Awardees at the Heart of the School Awards, an annual event highlighting exceptional principals. The five Awardees are joined by five Honorees, each of whom has demonstrated exemplary innovation, execution, and leadership.
Steve Skeen, completing his 7th year as principal of Mt. Royal Elementary and Middle School, is a 2025 awardee. In addition to being celebrated by their peers, each receives funding of up to $2,500 to support needs at their schools. The awards come from the Fund for Educational Excellence Heart of the Schools program. Created in 2016, it is intended to show them that Baltimore appreciates their work and the impact they have on its children.
Principal Skeen has succeeded in his goal of ensuring that “Mount Royal is for everyone and that his students are on a trajectory of success beyond their middle school years,” the award managers said. “Mr. Skeen understands that to build this success, the school culture has to combine high academic expectations with a sense of belonging. Principal Skeen has a gift for empathy and an ability to get the best out of those around him to ensure all students can succeed. Principal Skeen and his team have strengthened Mt. Royal’s legacy as a top performing school in Baltimore.”
Mt. Royal teachers and staff supported the award. “Principal Skeen is a dedicated leader who understands the impact of education and the equity of the institution for our community and our families. He strives to make each teacher and student feel safe, seen and heard,” they wrote. A video about the school can be seen here: https://www.heartoftheschools.org/fundforeducationalexcellence.
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