When Dr. Michael Triplett took over as superintendent of the Normandy Schools Collaborative, colleagues quickly noticed a difference.
“He’s one of the most conscientious people I’ve ever met,” said Dr. Deborah Powell, a former educator, politician and athlete. “He’s always mindful of what others are feeling, and that drives his leadership. He believes if he helps others become their best, they’ll give their best to those they serve. That’s one of the secrets to his success.”
That kind of praise follows Triplett across a career that began in a sixth-grade classroom and has carried him through roles as social worker, vice principal, principal, program director and administrator. Along the way, he has earned a reputation as both a no-nonsense leader and a servant of people.
This fall, the St. Louis American Foundation will recognize that impact by honoring him as one of five Excellence in Education Awardees at the Salute to Excellence in Education Gala.
Triplett, who has attended the gala many times, said he was floored to learn he would be on stage this year as an honoree.
“I was like, ‘Ah, man, I’m not just an attendee this time,’” he said with a laugh. “It’s really special and good to know that the work you’re doing is being recognized. Even when people don’t say it, you know somebody’s watching — and I appreciate that.”
When reflecting on what fueled his rise, Triplett often returns to a familiar refrain: “I felt I wasn’t doing enough.”
It all started after the East St. Louis native graduated from East St. Louis Senior High School in 1987. He first imagined a career as a firefighter, then accepted a position with a minor league basketball association in California. That dream was deferred by an earthquake that sent him back home, where an aunt encouraged him to enroll at her alma mater, Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee.
He enrolled and studied business there, but he soon discovered something more enduring: a knack for helping classmates succeed academically.
He said the joy he found in helping them “understand content, get better grades and reach their academic goals” stayed with him even after he graduated.
Instead of pursuing business, he became a substitute teacher. One of his first assignments — a sixth-grade class at L’Ouverture Middle School — nearly made him reconsider.
“It was just a really tough, unruly, rowdy class,” he recalled. “And I was like, ‘Jesus Christ, I gotta teach here?’”
Rather than walk away, he experimented. He removed the desks, let the students move and play, then slowly reintroduced structure. Within weeks, conversations replaced chaos.
That was Triplett’s first lesson in the power of shared stories.
“We all have a story, and kids respond when it’s genuine and one kids can relate to,” he said, noting the importance of students seeing he had experiences similar to theirs growing up. “Who’s better to trust, a person who has never lived a life they’ve lived or a person who has lived that life and can tell that story?”
Triplett refined his teaching under the late Dr. Alice Roach, an acclaimed public educator and 2015 Salute Lifetime Achievement honoree. Roach encouraged his innovative methods, which emphasized peer learning and student engagement.
Still, he felt he wasn’t making a big enough difference. He pursued a degree in social work at St. Louis University, hoping to address root causes like poverty and homelessness. As a school social worker, he valued the role but again felt limited.
“Even as a school social worker, I did not think that was enough, so I got into administration to be a change agent in the school, making more systemic change.”
From program director in alternative education to assistant superintendent in Riverview Gardens, and later Associate Superintendent of Learning Services in Olathe, Kansas, Triplett kept widening his reach. Olathe colleagues praised him as “an extremely capable manager, supporter and servant of people,” a reputation that helped him earn the top role at Normandy.
Since becoming superintendent in 2023, Triplett has drawn admiration for his clarity of purpose.
Dr. Tiffany McConnell, a nearly 30-year veteran of the district, provides support to the district’s professional staff. She said she appreciates the work Triplett has been doing.
“For the first time, we have a leader with a true vision for what public education should look like,” McConnell said “Under his leadership, we’ve implemented many different initiatives that have raised the bar for all our students.”
For all the praise, Triplett describes his own leadership with candor.
“I’m the toughest cookie in the world. I’m really structured, really stern and I have a no-nonsense kind of demeanor,” he said. “But when the grass hits the fan, teachers love working with me. Students love me as a leader.
“Why? Because I believe in them, and I put everything I have into them.”
Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.
The St. Louis American Foundation’s 38th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education will take place on Saturday, November 1st at America’s Center in downtown. For tickets or more information, visit www.stlamerican.com.