Nine Texas principals were recently selected as Texas National Distinguished Principal (NDP) finalists by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA)… and three of the nine are from Midway ISD!
The award recipient will be announced in May at a surprise school visit. That principal will receive $10,000 and represent Texas in Washington, D.C. as the 2016 NDP. Hewitt Elementary Principal Diane Gough is Texas’ 2015 National Distinguished Principal.
The 2016 National Distinguished Principal Finalists are:
- Jay Fischer, Spring Valley Elementary School, Midway ISD
- Aaron Peña, Woodway Elementary School, Midway ISD
- Nickolas Smith, Woodgate Intermediate School, Midway ISD
- Amber Barbarow, Arredondo Elementary School, Lamar CISD
- Dana Boyd, East Point Elementary School, Ysleta ISD
- Alisha Crumley, Crockett Early Education School, Grand Prairie ISD
- Julie Gauthier, Ridgewood Elementary School, Port Neches-‐Groves ISD
- Monica Jackson, Anderson Elementary School, Frisco ISD
- Ronny Snow, Malakoff Elementary School, Malakoff ISD
“These exemplary principals are guiding the future and proving students from all walks of life can be successful,” TEPSA Executive Director Harley Eckhart said.
TEPSA received 97 nominations for the 2016 NDP award. After a rigorous reading process, in which applicants shared their educational philosophies and accomplishments both in and out of the classroom, a peer-‐review committee selected nine finalists. These outstanding leaders then showcased their achievements during a school visit by a team of educators. Finalists will be recognized at the TEPSA Awards Reception June 15 in Austin.
The NDP program promotes PreK-‐8 educational excellence and focuses on the fundamental importance of the school principal. The program honors principals who exhibit extraordinary leadership, commitment to their students and staff, service to their communities and contributions to the profession, including their professional associations. The National Association of Elementary School Principals sets award criteria. The Texas award is sponsored by TEPSA, and the program is supported with a generous donation from Mentoring Minds.
“We could not be more proud to partner with TEPSA in supporting the Texas educators who work tirelessly to help their students thrive. Together, our goal is the same: to give students a quality education rooted in critical thinking so that they succeed, not just in the classroom, but in life,” said Robert L. Bush, CEO of Mentoring Minds. Recognized as a critical thinking expert for over a decade, Mentoring Minds is a K-‐12 publisher with a mission to support student achievement and empower educators to teach to higher standards. Learn more at www.mentoringminds.com.
TEPSA, whose hallmark is educational leaders learning with and from each other, has served Texas PreK-‐8 school leaders since 1917. Member owned and member governed, TEPSA has more than 5,800 members who direct the activities of more than 3 million PreK-‐8 school children. Learn more at www.tepsa.org.
