Tara Becker-Utess was named Michigan’s 2026 High School Assistant Principal of the Year in October 2025.
Becker-Utess, an assistant principal at Mason High School, received the honor from the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) and the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies.
“As a member of the second cohort of Michigan Leadership for Equity and Transformation Fellows, Tara demonstrates what strong assistant principals can do for school communities across our state,” said Wendy Zdeb, MASSP executive director, in a press release. “She works tirelessly in collaboration with staff members to ensure each student can achieve inside the classroom and beyond.”
Becker-Utess earned her Master of Arts in Teaching and Curriculum from the MSU College of Education in 2008. She has been with Mason Public Schools since 2021, with previous roles in Charlotte Public Schools and the Ingham Intermediate School District.
“My degree from MSU gave me a strong foundation in instruction and curriculum that I used to improve my pedagogical skills in the classroom,” said Becker-Utess. “It also helped me gain the knowledge needed to take on curricular leadership opportunities in Charlotte. During my time at Charlotte, Ingham ISD and [now at] Mason High School, instruction and curriculum have been at the forefront of my job description. At Mason High School, we are deep in curriculum work to help connect the written curriculum to the taught and assessed curriculum. My work at MSU gave me the foundation I needed to lead this important work.”
At Mason High School, Becker-Utess is part of a leadership team that focuses on a “safe and positive school climate.”
“In my 27 years in education, I have never seen an assistant principal that is of the same caliber as Tara,” said Mason High School Principal Myriah Lillie in the MASSP press release. “Not only is she incredibly intelligent and extremely hard working, she has a unique way of building solid relationships built on care and concern for both our staff and students.”