Arlington Science Focus Leader Named APS Principal of the Year

Arlington Public Schools 2011 Principal of the Year is Arlington Science Focus' Mary Begley. 

“Mary is very deserving of this honor, and a fine representative of the school leaders we have in our school division," Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy said of Begley in the press release. "She is an exceptional community and school leader, and has continued to guide ArlingtonScience Focus School with a clear vision for the direction of her school and community.”

Begley taught in Michigan and Ohio before moving to the area and working with Alexandria City Public Schools. She started to work on a committee to start a new school in Arlington in July 1995, and Arlington Science Focus began in September of that year. Begley was the assistant principal and reading teacher before being named principal in 1997. 

The Arlington School Board  will honor and recognize Begley at its May 5th meeting. On April 28, Begley will be recognized as this year’s Washington Post's Distinguished Educational Leadership Award recipient for Arlington. Begley is one of 19 principals from the area this year to receive The Post's Distinguished Educational Leadership Award.

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Read the entire APS release below: 

"Mary Begley, a founding member of Arlington Science Focus School (ASFS), has been named as the Arlington Public Schools 2011 Principal of the Year.

Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy said of Begley, “Mary is very deserving of this honor, and a fine representative of the school leaders we have in our school division. She is an exceptional community and school leader, and has continued to guide ArlingtonScience Focus School with a clear vision for the direction of her school and community.”

Begley earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary and secondary education and a master’s degree in reading instruction from Bowling Green State University. She also earned a certificate in administration from the University of Virginia.

She taught in Michigan and Ohio before moving to the D.C. area. From 1987-1995, Begley held a variety of teaching and administrative roles in the Alexandria City Public Schools.

In July 1995, she began work on a committee to establish a new school in Arlington. Through the research and work of the committee, Arlington Science Focus became a reality for students in September of that year. Begley served as a reading teacher and assistant principal at ASFS before becoming its principal in 1997.

Through Begley’s leadership, ASFS was a finalist for the Intel Schools of Distinction Award last year and earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence this year.

“Mary shines as an instructional leader,” said ASFS assistant principal Maureen Nesselrode. “Her instructional expectations are clear, which creates consistency and a common vocabulary across the school.”

Begley embraces collaborative leadership and change. She has created multiple advisory groups made up of staff, parents and community members to address a number of issues. She hosts “principal chats” throughout the year to provide an opportunity for parents to voice concerns, issues or praise in a welcoming atmosphere.

“To Mary, these various collaborative opportunities are a tool to move ideas to action as she regularly tweaks the schools operations to best reflect the needs of the students,” said Nesselrode.

ASFS students hail from 32 countries, including a large population from Mongolia. Begley fostered cooperation between ASFS and the community when she recognized that a group of Mongolian parents clearly did not understand the educational procedures of American schools. She personally visited those families at home to explain the extended day program, lunchroom options and even the location of the nearest public library.

In 2008, Begley was invited by the State Department to visit Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to present the school’s integrated instruction method and to setup a partnership between a Mongolian school and ASFS. That partnership will come to fruition later this year.

Begley has served in a variety of leadership roles countywide. She has chaired the elementary principals’ group and been part of the Language Arts Connections committee. She recently joined the staff development advisory committee and sat on a three-year statewide committee to develop Virginia’s fifth-grade Writing Standards of Learning assessment.

Begley will be recognized by the Arlington School Board at its meeting on Thu, May 5.  She also will be recognized on Thu, April 28 as this year’s Washington Post's Distinguished Educational Leadership Award recipient for Arlington. She is one of 19 principals from the metro area this year to receive The Post's Distinguished Educational Leadership Award. "