Richland Two principal among nation’s best K-8 principals
October 11, 2017
Catawba Trail Elementary School Principal Denise Barth is among the best principals in the country. She was selected as a 2017 National Distinguished Principal. Barth will join elementary and middle-level administrators in Washington, D.C., October 12-13, 2017 for two days of activities planned to honor and bring well-deserved recognition to the educators chosen by the states, the District of Columbia, plus private and overseas schools.
Barth was nominated and selected by her fellow principals through a statewide search process conducted by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators, the state affiliate of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). The NAESP established the program in 1984 to recognize and celebrate principals who set high standards for instruction, student achievement, character, and climate for the students, families, and staffs in their learning communities.
Since 2011, Barth has served as principal at Catawba Trail Elementary School. She previously served as the principal of North Springs Elementary School. Barth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a Master of Educational Administration and Leadership from the University of South Carolina (USC).
“Denise’s own curiosity and zeal for learning is infectious. This is a well-deserved honor, and I am proud to count her among Richland School District Two’s principals,” said Superintendent Dr. Baron R. Davis.
Barth has been with Richland Two the entirety of her 34 years in education. Barth’s tenure in Richland Two has been marked with her trademark energy and seemingly endless enthusiasm for helping students and staff alike discover their innate gifts and talents. She was named the 2017-2018 South Carolina Elementary School Principal of the Year by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA). Barth was named Richland County Conservation Principal of the Year by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in 2015 and 2013. She has an extensive background in the use of technology in education and taught in the ALERT (gifted and talented) program in grades four through eight.
“I believe much of my success comes from being both mom and principal, because decisions have always been considered through both lenses,” said Barth. Widowed in 2015, her husband of 28 years provided steadfast support throughout her principalship and she credits his partnership in her career with her ability to dedicate herself deeply.
Criteria for selection of the principals require the honorees are active principals of schools where programs are designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students and where there are firmly established community ties with parents and local business organizations. Catawba Trail is a South Carolina Palmetto Gold school with a proven record of excellence.
