Academy of Tucson Schools

Provide • Prepare • Graduate

Meet Mr. Willie Henry, Academy of Tucson Middle School Principal

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Willie Henry to the Academy of Tucson Schools family! He will be serving as our middle school principal, starting in fall 2020.

An 18-year school administrator, Mr. Henry was born and raised in Southside Chicago with a family of educators — in fact, he has 12 educators in his family. His career in education began with coaching and teaching. His foundation in coaching has led him to become an instructional coach with a passion in teacher training and professional development. According to Mr. Henry, teachers “have to keep on learning,” and he enjoys watching his staff grow and learn along with the students. He also loves to watch student growth, not only through data, but also by student attitudes toward success.

Mr. Henry’s favorite subject areas are math, history and English — subjects he taught for seven years at the secondary level — while recognizing that there cannot be success in these subject areas without an excitement about reading. On his time in the classroom, he says, “I have a great love for all 3 subjects especially writing and Early American History because there is much to help develop students into avid readers and critical thinkers. 

Growing weary of the long Chicago winters, Mr. Henry relocated to Arizona in 1999. He has been looking forward to living and working in Tucson, especially since he has made the natural conversion of becoming a UArizona Wildcat fan! “I jumped at a chance to join The Academy of Tucson Middle School because it is a school that has a long standing tradition in the Tucson community of achieving academic success. The chance to watch students grow from middle school to the AOTHS was very exciting,” he says.

Tucson’s rich diversity also drew Mr. Henry to the middle school. Tucsonans take pride in living in a culturally diverse and inclusive city, which aligns with the mission of AOT Schools to be an equitable environment for all students and families. On inclusivity, Mr. Henry says, “Students of varying backgrounds working together towards a common goal and watching it be fulfilled makes it an exciting time to be an educator. Understanding and nurturing these differences as a school leader in a community of educators makes the school poised for greatness.”

How would he describe himself as a leader? “What you see is what you get.” He believes in transparency and “developing a strong rapport” with all stakeholders so that all involved can “speak the same language of succes

Welcome to the team, Mr. Henry!

Since 1986, Academy of Tucson public charter schools partner rigorous, traditional curriculum in smaller and more innovative classrooms, ensuring an individualized education for every student. Academy of Tucson’s public charter school district comprises three schools – an elementary, middle and high school and regularly receives an “A” average rating from the state of Arizona. Academy of Tucson is very proud of its 100% graduation rate. Come find your new school family with us!