Golden Valley: Kim Hiel, principal of the School of Engineering and Arts in Golden Valley, has been named 2014 Science and Mathematics Elementary and Middle Level Principal of the Year. The school is in the Robbinsdale district.

The award, a joint creation of the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association, recognizes the importance of fostering lifelong science literacy and honors the role principals play in developing a culture that encourages and celebrates student interest in math and science.

As the 2014 Science and Mathematics Elementary Principal of the Year, Hiel will be recognized by Eric Jolly, president of the Science Museum, during association's awards banquet in Bloomington on Feb. 6. In addition, her school's students and staff will receive complimentary Science Museum education programming.

The awards committee said it looked for evidence of nominees' support of professional development and coaching for the teachers in their schools, partnerships with other organizations, efforts to apply math and science standards to curriculum and provide support materials, support of out-of-school as well as in-school experiences, inclusion of families, and evidence of other creative ways of fostering interest in math and science.