Erich Martens, Sartell resident and principal of Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, has been named Minnesota High School Principal of the Year.
Martens was honored by more than 1,300 of his peers at the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, which met Jan. 30. Martens was lauded for “consistently articulating organizational purpose and priorities to his staff, the district, the community and the media.”
The citation further states:
“Martens promotes a positive image of schools and the district at all times and always makes students his number-one priority. Moreover, he models true volunteerism as he works closely with numerous organizations such as the United Way, Walk for Life, Kids Against Hunger, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and various youth associations for the betterment of all children.”
Martens was previously honored in May 2012 when he was named Central Minnesota Principal of the Year.
He has been a school administrator for 13 years, eight of them in the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District.
Martens graduated from St. John’s University with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education (math) and then earned a master’s degree in educational administration from St. Cloud State University.
Through his leadership, student achievement on tests at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School has increased by 32 percent in math and 30 percent in reading since 2007.
