Rahsaan “Saani” Perry, the assistant principal of West Florence High School in Florence, SC, was recently named NASSP’s 2025 High School National Assistant Principal of the Year and the next principal of John W. Moore Middle School. We asked him about the honor and what it means to him and his school.
Were you surprised to be selected?
Absolutely. I didn’t expect to win at the state level. And then when I got the e-mail that I was a finalist for the national award, I remember thinking, that has to be a mistake. But I’m grateful for the opportunity. When the AP finalists got to meet each other in Washington, D.C., in March, we all became friends, and we still text all the time. It’s been an amazing opportunity to learn and grow. It’s definitely been a great experience.
Your school has become known for its STEM magnet program. Can you talk about its success?
The program started during COVID, so it couldn’t really flourish the way we wanted it to. But since then, we’ve seen tremendous growth. We just accepted 48 students, our largest class of incoming freshmen. I think what’s most impressive is our connection to the community. We have business partners come in and work with our students, and they also tell us what they are looking for in people they hire. We use that information to develop our curriculum and make sure our students are competitive in STEM fields. We have a college acceptance rate of 100%, which obviously we’re very proud of.
Student discipline is usually a big focus for APs. What have you tried to implement in that area?
From my first year as an administrator, I had a lot of conversations with other administrators and staff about how we focus a lot on the students—many of them repeat offenders—who aren’t doing what they are supposed to. We wanted to highlight students are doing the right thing. I started a program called Sharper Knights where each month, teachers nominate students who are displaying excellence in an area like academics, the arts, community service, or maybe just doing great things in the classroom or the hallways. Those students are given a certificate, and we bring in a food truck each month that they’re allowed to order from instead of eating the regular school lunch. This program has helped shift the mindset of students who want to get attention because now they get it for doing positive things.
Was winning this award a big deal for your school and district?
Yes, it’s been overwhelming. I’m on billboards around Florence that the district put up. It’s a big deal because it’s the first time Florence has had a state AP winner, let alone a national winner. It’s nice to be recognized for the hard work that I do. But I feel like I’m just doing my job. I try to do what’s best for teachers and students, and that’s what drives everything I do.