David Reiser, Great Bend Middle School principal, has been named Middle School Principal of the Year by the Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators.

Reiser, who has been the principal at GBMS since August 2005, was nominated by Dr. Tom Vernon, USD 428 superintendent.

"Mr. Reiser is very deserving of this award," Vernon said. "Under his leadership, the middle school has performed very well, especially on state assessments. At a time when it keeps getting tougher to make the grade, the middle school students and staff continue to achieve at high levels

"The award recognizes him specifically, but really points out the excellence of his staff and students," Vernon said. "To keep performing at this level speaks of the team work it takes and his leadership skills."

"I appreciate the recognition of the hard work that the staff and students put forth every day at GBMS," Reiser said. "This is as much their award as it is mine."

The award commends Reiser for the outstanding effort he provides to his staff, students and community. It will be presented at the KAMSA spring conference luncheon on May 7 at Washburn Rural Middle School in Topeka.

Reiser is a 1981 graduate of Great Bend High School. He attended Barton Community College, Oral Roberts University and Kansas State University where he completed his bachelor’s degree in social science with a minor in secondary education in 1987.

He received a master’s in education administration from Kansas State University in Dec. 1997.

Reiser started his career in education as a seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teacher and athletic/activities coordinator at Junction City Middle School. Immediately before returning to Great Bend, he was the associate principal for two years and principal for five years at Winfield High School.

He and his wife, Tricia, who is the principal at Eisenhower School, have three children, Dillon, Bethany and Kaylee.