North’s VP Mike Vukovich to be High School’s Next Principal

Des Moines Public Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Vukovich, the vice principal at North High School, as the school’s next principal. He will succeed Matt Smith, who becomes the Executive Director of Learning Services and Student Activities for DMPS on July 1.

“Mike has played a key role in the recent turnaround at North High, and is the right person at the right time to lead the school’s ongoing momentum,” said Superintendent Tom Ahart.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity to help continue our success at North High School, and look forward to pushing us forward to even greater things in the future,” added Vukovich. “And I am especially honored to be able to continue working with the great group of students, educators and families who make up the North community.”

North High School, located at 501 Holcomb Avenue, is home to more than 1,100 students in grade 9-12.

Vukovich has been vice principal at North High School for the past two years, and was North’s School Improvement Leader during the 2010-11 school year. Prior to that he was at Hoover High School, where his roles included interim dean/vice principal, academic interventionist, and special education teacher as well as the head baseball coach. Vukovich has a BA in history education from Southern Illinois University and a M.Ed. in educational leadership from Iowa State University.

During Vukovich’s time at North High, students made academic gains in several areas including an increase in proficiency and an increase in the graduation rate, and for the first time ever North was ranked as a Top 50 school (28th) on the Iowa AP Index. He also helped oversee the school’s implementation of a 1:1 technology program, making North High the largest school in Iowa where each student was provided with a laptop computer. North High has recently been selected as one of the College Board’s “Spotlight on Schools” for their efforts in increasing Advanced Placement courses, and has also just been named by the U.S. Department of Education as a “School of Focus” for its innovative use of School Improvement Grant funds for professional development.