Phil Oates, a former Watertown Middle School teacher and interim principal at Lowell School, received an honor from the Massachusetts School Administrators’ Association for his work as assistant principal at Weston Middle School. He lives in Watertown.
The Weston Public Schools published the following announcement:
We are thrilled to announce that our own Mr. Phil Oates has won the MSAA Assistant Principal of the Year Award for 2023! Please join the entire WMS community in congratulating Phil on this amazing accomplishment.
The Massachusetts School Administrators’ Association announced today that Mr. Philip Oates, Assistant Principal of Weston Middle School, has been selected as this year’s Assistant Principal of the Year. Phil has served at the Middle School for the past six years. Phil graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Sciences in Mathematics. He also earned his Masters in Secondary Math Education from UMass Boston and Masters in Organizational Management from Endicott University. Phil’s career in public education spans from middle to high school.
Prior to serving as Assistant Principal at WMS, Phil was an interim Principal for a year at J.R. Lowell Elementary in Watertown. He was a Title 1 math tutor, taught math and coached football for nine years at Watertown Middle School. Additionally, Philip taught for two years at Cambridge High School Extension Program.
Philip was nominated by Weston Middle School Principal John Gibbons who in his nomination wrote, “Phil has had an incredible impact on shaping our school’s culture. He fosters well-being and safety for all students and adults in our community. He leads with an abundance of positivity, which he brings to every interaction with every individual in our organization. Phil is a dynamo who has a unique engine providing him with a tremendous amount of energy, enthusiasm, humor, and caring.”
We are thrilled, and Mr. Oates is so deserving of this honor. We are so thankful to the MSAA for seriously considering him and reflecting on his tremendous merits as a school leader.
Nice job, Phil! You are well deserving of this award and an excellent ambassador for education.
Too bad WPS let him go. He’s a wonderful human being and a great role model for students.
Congratulations Phil! Well deserved!
“He leads with an abundance of positivity, which he brings to every interaction with every individual in our organization. Phil is a dynamo who has a unique engine providing him with a tremendous amount of energy, enthusiasm, humor, and caring.”
Phil was all these things during his tenure in Watertown-unclear how leadership at the time let him go.
Congratulations Phil!!
Philip—-Congratulations from your 4th grade teacher at Lowell School. You are very special as your Dad was , and your Mother . I must give her a telephone call. , All my best wishes —Mary Keenan
Congratulations Phil. You are a true professional and a leader of kids and communities. This feels like an incredibly embarrassing situation for the Watertown school system, our district, and the administration and leadership of our school committee and school district. Letting a quality educator like this leave for petty differences is truly not the way to build a motivated infrastructure for learning.
Congratulations, Mr. Oates!
So well deserved! You were truly a gift to the Watertown schools, we remember our WMS years fondly when you were part of the team there. I agree with others here that it was very sad to see you leave Watertown. On the bright side, students in another school district in MA can are now benefit from your excellent leadership. We not only remember your enthusiasm, positivity and humor, but we also remember your kind, sensitive compassion shown towards each individual student. Not an easy feat with middle school students!
Best wishes to you in the future!