Since 1984, Wells Fargo Bank has financially supported a program in collaboration with the Department of Public Instruction to recognize outstanding principals from the North Carolina public schools. Since the inception of the program, we have recognized 38 state Wells Fargo Principals of the Year, 248 regional award recipients, and 3,167 local Wells Fargo Principals of the Year.

Eligibility

The candidate must:

• Be a principal of a North Carolina public school.
• Have at least four years’ experience as an administrator (years may be a combination of assistant principal, principal and central office experience).
• A principal is a person designated by a local Board of Education as the head of a school with 100 or more pupils in average daily membership (ADM) and/or with seven or more full-time, state-allotted teachers.
• A principal is the executive head of the school
• Be employed as a school administrator throughout the local and regional selection process.
• Be a practicing school administrator in order to compete for the Wells Fargo Principal of the Year state title and remain practicing principal for the entire term.
• Hold a valid principal's license.

Candidates should:

• Create a climate of inquiry the challenges the school community to continually re-purpose itself by building on its core values and beliefs about its preferred further and then developing a pathway to reach it.
• Reculture the school if needed to align with school’s goals of improving student and adult learning and to infuse the work of the adults and students with passion, meaning and purpose.
• Build a sense of efficacy and empowerment among staff that result in a “can do” attitude when faced with challenges.
• Ensure the school is a professional learning community.
• Create with staff opportunities for parents, community, and business representatives to participate in the school such that continued investments of resources and good will are not left to chance.
   

CHCCS Principals of the Year

2005-2006    Susan Pegg

2006-2007    Jacqueline Boyd Ellis

2007-2008    Deshera Mack (Regional Finalist)

2008-2009    Amy Rickard

2009-2010    Valerie Reinhardt

2010-2011    Emily Bivins

2011-2012    Susan Wells

2012-2013    Dr. Amanda Hartness

2013-2014    Marny Ruben

2014-2015    Amy Rickard (Regional Finalist)

2015-2016    Dr. Darlene Ryan

2016-2017    Dr. LaVerne Mattocks

2017-2018    Dr. Beverly Rudolph

2018-2019    John Williams

2019-2020    Dr. Emily Bivins

2020-2021    Dr. Robert Bales

2021-2022    Crystal Etheridge-Epps

2022-2023    Aisha Howard

2023-2024    Minnie Goins

2024-2025    Tiffany Cheshire

2025-2026   Karen Galassi-Ferrer

2026-2027   Dr. Kirtisha Jones