Ballard High School principal Phil Brockman was presented with the Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence April 9.

While attending a ceremony honoring the school's top students of the quarter, Brockman was surprised with the award by Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson and Alliance for Education President Patrick D’Amelio.

The award is for outstanding leadership from a secondary school principal and comes with a $50,000 grant for the school.

"The $50,000 is well-timed," Brockman said. "We know exactly what to do with it."

Brockman, a Ballard High School graduate, has worked for Seattle Public Schools for 26 years and been principal at Ballard since 2004.

Ballard Associated Student Body President Cole Finchen and Vice President Michael Gore introduced Brockman.

He always listens to suggestions from students, but he also goes above and beyond that because he is a man of action, they said.