North Stonington - Sitting behind a desk deep in the Main Office in Wheeler High School/Middle School last week, Principal Chris Sandford begins to speak, but he's interrupted by the telephone.

In the middle of that conversation, his cellphone buzzes. He looks at the screen and keeps talking.

Associate Principal James Apicelli pokes his head in. There's been an incident with some students, he says. Parents are arriving for conferences, he says, and others need to be called for disciplinary action.

Sandford excuses himself. The conversation will have to wait.

It's this dedication, this involvement in all things school-related, that helped Sandford become the middle school-level William Cieslukowski Outstanding First Year Principal for his work during the 2010-11 school year.

"In reality, it's not an example of my leadership but of the school environment we're in," Sandford said. "It's really a testament to the people and the school, my colleagues and the students."

Sandford said building relationships with students, faculty and parents makes the tougher side of his job, from formulating budgets to dishing out discipline, that much easier.

And, he said, he genuinely enjoys working with young people.

"Because of the size of the schools, a principal takes on a larger role: part counselor, college adviser, mentor," he said. "I try to go to sporting events, plays and music. I like to be visible in the halls and classrooms. I'm proud of every single thing the kids are doing in the middle and high school and the staff that's leading them."

Elementary school Principal Ronnie Wilkison and special services coordinator Susan Costa jointly nominated Sandford for the award, which Wilkison said he deservedly won.

"I thought Chris as a first-year principal had just done an amazing amount of things," said Wilkison, who has worked in the district for seven years. "The faculty was all in line with him and that's huge for a first-year principal, so the award was just well deserved."

The title, awarded annually by the Connecticut Association of Schools to principals at the elementary, middle and high school level, looks for applicants who "have had a positive impact on their school or school district." Winners "must demonstrate exemplary instructional and organizational leadership, a willingness to take risks, and the ability to overcome adversity."

Wilkison said Sandford implemented the Scientific Research-Based Intervention model and used Connecticut Mastery Test data to show teachers how they could sharpen their teaching tactics.

"They've never had that before, and it shows how he works so well with the staff - the staff all love him," Wilkison said. "He was bringing concrete information that they can use to grow. He's so aware of those kinds of things and recognizes the needs and finds ways to do it, finds ways to make it work."

Sandford spent two years as associate principal at the school before taking the reins in 2010. He'd spent the 10 years prior teaching social studies at East Lyme High School, and was elected earlier this month to serve on that school district's Board of Education.

He can't get away from education, it seems, but Sandford thinks his efforts will benefit both places.

"It'll give me a different perspective and hopefully it will make me a better principal because I'll get to see how other districts work," he said.

Natalie Pukas is in her 12th and final year as superintendent of schools in the district, during which time three principals have been nominated for the award, she said. Sandford is the first to win.

"He's well-liked by his colleagues, parents, students and Board of Education members," Pukas said. "There is no doubt he puts the interests of the children first and that he really cares about each and every student at Wheeler. He's just an overall good guy and we're very proud of him and happy his hard work has been recognized."

s.goldstein@theday.com