Michael Essien

Principal, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School

"Michael has created so much change in our Martin Luther King Junior Middle School community in so many ways. He is a pioneer of multiple programmatic changes school wide, including bringing Peer Resources to our school, encouraging student advocacy personally through listening and asking questions, and school-wide through implementing student-led conferences and student-driven project based learning. Michael is dedicated to student voice. He came to my classroom regularly to hear what the students have to say, take notes, and respond. He made it a priority to implement their feedback. For example, he began making changes to the monthly assembly based on presentations from the Peers program, adding a microphone and inviting students to come up to ask questions. Michael understands that students are whole people whose experiences follow them and whose trauma can prevent them from being their best selves. He is kind, loving, empowering, and hilarious."

Michael Essien received a masters degree in Urban Education Leadership from UC Berkeley’s Principals Leadership Institute. Prior to becoming an administrator, he taught Geometry, Algebra 2 & Trigonometry, and Special Education for 21 years in Oakland Public Schools. Currently, he is the principal at MLK Middle School in San Francisco Unified School District. Michael uses the Community School Model and a “whole school approach” to address challenges for both students and teachers.

"As an educator, my goal is to provide opportunities for youth to exercise student agency. It is through student agency that we disrupt the harmful social reproductive nature of schooling and liberate children."

Michael Essien