On Sun., Feb. 8, Anna Koltunova was presented the Assistant Principal of the Year award for the Broward County School District through the Caliber Awards program. The Caliber Awards program provides the opportunity for the district to recognize employees who have excelled as teachers, principals, assistant principals and school-related employees.
Koltunova has worked for Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) for 16 years total. She taught math for ten years and has spent six years as an assistant principal of this school. Koltunova was recognized for improving student achievement, expanding advanced academic opportunities and fostering a positive, student-centered campus culture.
Koltunova transitioned from teaching high school math to administration, driven by a desire to impact education at a broader level. Becoming assistant principal was the best way for her to create the impact she desired to.
“What I love the most about my job is that you can do so many different things,” Koltunova said. “There’s so much involved in it and what you walk into is different every single day. I believe after about seven years of teaching in a classroom, people get an itch to try something new, and I got that seven year itch.”
At the awards ceremony at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale on Fri., Feb. 6, with more than 500 nominees, contenders listened closely as each name was announced.
“It took me a second to realize I won,” Koltunova said. “I didn’t really create a speech beforehand because I knew speaking from my heart would be more authentic and truthful.”
According to BCPS, Koltunova played a key role in guiding the campus through significant transitions, expanding advanced academic opportunities, and supporting programs that have positioned the school among the district’s top performers.
Her “leading from the heart” philosophy allows her to bridge the gap between administrative mandates and the daily lived experiences of the school community.
As an assistant principal, Koltunova gets opportunities to meet with students and connect with them, outside of her environment of dealing with crisis management.
“I love walking into the classes and watching what you guys get to do, because I feel so removed from the classroom that when I get the opportunity to watch the amazing things you guys get to create, achieve, and accomplish,” Koltunova said.
By prioritizing these human connections, she ensures that her impact as assistant principal of the year is measured not just in data and achievement, but in the lasting positive relationships she builds across campus.
