Eight outstanding public school principals have been selected as regional Wells Fargo North Carolina Principals of the Year and will now compete for the state title of 2017 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. The winner will succeed the 2016 recipient, Melody Chalmers principal of E.E. Smith High School (Cumberland County Schools).
The regional principals of the year are:
- Northeast: Jason Griffin, Hertford Grammar (Perquimans County Schools);
- Southeast: Maria Johnson, Northside High (Onslow County Schools);
- North Central: Kiley Brown, Efland-Cheeks Global Elementary (Orange County Schools);
- Sandhills: Mary Hemphill, I. Ellis Johnson Elementary (Scotland County Schools);
- Piedmont-Triad: Jusmar Maness, Balfour Elementary (Asheboro City Schools);
- Southwest: Amy Rhyne, East Iredell Elementary (Iredell-Statesville Schools);
- Northwest: Jeffrey Isenhour, Bunker Hill High (Catawba County Schools); and
- Western: Doris Sellers, A.C. Reynolds High (Buncombe County Schools).
Regional winners will each receive $1,000 for personal use and $1,000 for their schools.
A state selection committee will now review the portfolios of the eight regional winners and conduct an extensive interview process before selecting the 2017 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. The announcement will occur May 12 during a luncheon in Cary.
This is the 33rd year the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has partnered with The Wells Fargo Foundation to recognize the state’s outstanding principals. Since the program began in 1984, 37 Principals of the Year and 248 regional recipients have been recognized. In addition, The Wells Fargo Foundation has provided more than $1 million in cash awards to these individuals.
About the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides leadership to 115 local public school districts and 160 charter schools serving over 1.5 million students in kindergarten through high school graduation. The agency is responsible for all aspects of the state's public school system and works under the direction of the North Carolina State Board of Education.