Gwinnett County principal named the 2026 Middle School Principal of the Year

     Jeremy Reily, principal of Bay Creek Middle School, has been named the 2026 Middle School Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals (GASSP). GASSP representatives visited Bay Creek Middle recently to surprise Reily with the news. The honor is the culmination of a statewide search for school leaders who demonstrate excellence in educational leadership, problem-solving, professional development, and community engagement.

     “It’s an incredible honor—one that belongs to the Bay Creek community, not just to me,” Bay Creek Middle School Principal Jeremy Reily shares. “It reflects the daily work of our teachers, staff, students, and families who live our mission and know that Grayson is great. I'm grateful to GASSP for championing public schools across Georgia and shining a light on what’s possible when a school’s systems, culture, and people align around a simple idea: We cause learning.”

     The Principal of the Year program recognizes outstanding middle and high school principals who have provided high-quality learning opportunities for students and made exemplary contributions to the profession. Reily’s selection followed a competitive statewide process that spotlighted school leaders demonstrating exceptional vision, impact, and innovation. His ability to foster a thriving school culture and engage meaningfully with the broader community helped distinguish him among the finalists.

    Reily says his passion for teaching and learning fuels his desire to make Bay Creek Middle a place where excellence thrives. “I’m motivated by the chance to create a great school for great teachers—because great teaching changes students’ lives. Every day, we push for high expectations and give kids the support to get there. We believe in holding the bar steady, not lowering it when things get hard. Our work is about building something that lasts—preserving our core focus on teaching and learning, while stimulating progress through innovation and a relentless march toward getting a little better each day,” Reily adds.

     Bay Creek Middle’s upward trajectory under Reily’s leadership has not gone unnoticed. In 2022, the school earned recognition from GASSP as a “Breakout School,” a distinction given to institutions showing significant academic growth or exemplary performance. Reily will now move on to compete in the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Principal of the Year competition.