Stephanie Hochhalter, assistant principal at Lewis and Clark North Shore Plaza, has been honored as the North Dakota Assistant Principal of the Year by the North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

The prestigious recognition positions Hochhalter as a contender for the 2024 National Association of Secondary School Principals’ National Assistant Principal of the Year award.

Hochhalter began her educational career as a mathematics educator at Gackle-Streeter in 2000. After a decade in the classroom, predominantly at Horizon Middle School in Bismarck, she transitioned into an administrative role as the secondary principal in Hebron in 2010. In 2020, she assumed the role of assistant principal at Lewis and Clark North Shore Plaza. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education and a master’s in educational leadership, both earned at the University of Mary.

The NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year initiative annually acknowledges outstanding assistant principals in middle-level and high schools for their commitment to providing exceptional learning opportunities. These assistant principals receive recognition from their peers for their significant contributions to the profession.

Each state, including the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity, and the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Schools, nominates one assistant principal to represent their jurisdiction. A distinguished panel consisting of former state principals of the year, industry leaders and NASSP staff evaluates the applications of these state winners. The top three finalists become contenders for the National Assistant Principal of the Year award. The NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year will be chosen from among these finalists.