Hello,

My name is Justin Maier and I will be the new principal of Rainier Middle School in the fall.  I taught social studies at the middle school level as a National Board Certified Teacher for 13 years in the Kent School District before becoming an assistant principal for three years at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma.  I grew up in Auburn as a kid, had my best game as a high school football player at Auburn 

Memorial Stadium in 1992, and I currently send my own two kids to schools here in the Auburn School District.  I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and a Master’s in Teaching Degree from Seattle University and I earned my Principal Certification from the University of Washington in Tacoma.

Due to my own childhood experiences of growing up with a racially and culturally diverse family and with my own two kids being bi-racial, I believe it is important for ALL students to feel valued and welcomed, and for ALL students to see their own “faces” reflected in the school and curriculum.  Because of this belief and my experiences as a kid, parent, and educator, I feel that it is important to try and look at the experiences of our students from multiple perspectives and points of view.  Therefore, I believe that fostering positive relationships, truly getting to know our students, and creating a sense of community both in the classroom and the larger school setting are key to student success. 

On a more personal level, I enjoy spending time with my family by taking yearly road trips to various national parks during the summer months.  I hope to visit all 59 National Parks in the United States one day as I have currently visited 24.  In the fall and early winter, my family and I can usually be seen spending countless hours both in the dark and in the cold decorating the outside of our house for the various holiday seasons.

In closing, I feel that I landed my dream job working with middle school students, which is my passion and being able to work in the same district that I have called home for the past 11 years.  Of all the middle school principal positions that opened up in the Puget Sound region this past year, Rainier was the only position I applied for because it seemed like a perfect fit.  I truly feel honored and lucky to be able to serve the students, family, and community of Rainier Middle School this coming year.

Thanks,

Justin Maier
jmaier@auburn.wednet.edu