Principal Jeffrey Wasem believes that “people and relationships are the heartbeat of a successful school,” a sentiment which he has embodied throughout his career as a teacher and administrator. This spirit is reflected in Wasem’s leadership of Creekside Middle School in Bentonville, Arkansas, where his commitment to building leadership in others has enabled a smooth transition into block scheduling, yielding significant academic growth in just one year. Wasem doesn’t stop at bringing out the best in his teachers, however. He also authentically engages parents and community members to work together toward school goals and encourages the whole school community to expand beyond the building through creative partnerships and impactful service projects. These qualities have earned measurable success and numerous distinctions for Principal Wasem and his schools; In 2016-2017, Wasem was named a Master Principal by the Arkansas Leadership Academy, and Old High Middle School was named a School to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. Wasem is a district leader in building creative and critical thinking skills into the curriculum, helping two of his schools participate in the Making Spaces program. At Creekside, he used crowdfunding and initiated community funding partnerships to build a permanent Maker Space in the building. Wasem holds a B.S.E. in Intermediate Education from John Brown University, a M.Ed. degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Arkansas, and District Level Licensure from Harding University