South Carolina School Leader Named National Principal of the Year Finalist
July 12, 2012
Loris Middle School principal is among six educators competing for the 2013 MetLife/NASSP National Principal of the Year Award
RESTON, VA – July 9, 2012 – Judy Beard, principal of Loris Middle School in Loris, SC, has been named a finalist in the 2013 MetLife/NASSP National Principal of the Year Program for her significant contributions to student achievement. Ms. Beard was selected by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA) as the South Carolina Middle Level Principal of the Year in the fall of 2011.
When she became the principal of Loris in 2005, Beard refused to let statistics impede student learning. Moris is a rural, diverse middle school, and 80% of its students come from generational poverty. Instead of conceding to the low expectations they’d been dealt for most of their lives, Beard earned students’ trust and slowly restored their faith in adults. She rallied staff members and together they developed a five-year plan that focused on positive school behavior, literacy across the curriculum, and high expectations for all stakeholders.
To support the plan, Beard stocked classrooms with thousands of new books, carved out time each day for student reading, and put laptops in the hands of all seventh graders. She also established professional learning communities to provide teachers with a forum for analyzing data; encouraged teachers to earn master degrees and become nationally board certified; and conducted regular classroom walk-throughs with her iPad, providing feedback in real time.
Her persistence and undeniable tenacity has clearly paid off. Over the last several years, the school has accumulated an array of awards for student achievement and service learning. Now, marking a turn of events, other schools look to Loris for strategies on differentiated instruction, peer feedback, and the integration of technology.
“Focused, relentless leaders like Judy Beard are often the best hope for a better tomorrow for our neediest students,” said H. T. Lee, executive director for middle schools in Horry County, SC. “Ms. Beard tackles the challenge of working in a high-poverty school through collaborative leadership. She realizes the work is daunting and requires a team effort to best create conditions in which all students can be successful.”
The search for the national principal of the year began in early 2012 as each state principals’ association selected its state principal of the year. From this pool of state award winners, a panel of judges selected three middle level and three high school finalists. The national middle level and high school winners will be named in September and recognized in Washington, DC, during the Principals Institute for State Principals of the Year, September 19-22, 2012.
Beard and the other five finalists will each receive a $1,500 grant, and the two national award winners—one high school and one middle level—will receive additional grants of $3,500. The grants will be used to improve learning at the school (e.g., a special school project and/or professional development opportunities).
MetLife and NASSP are strongly committed to supporting the visions of exemplary school leaders. For more information about the MetLife/NASSP National Principal of the Year Program, please visit www.nassp.org/POY.
About NASSP
NASSP is the leading organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and all school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. The association provides research-based professional development and resources, networking, and advocacy to build the capacity of middle level and high school leaders to continually improve student performance. Reflecting its long-standing commitment to student leadership development as well, NASSP administers the National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Association of Student Councils. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit www.nassp.org.
About MetLife Resources
MetLife Resources is a division of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, a MetLife company. MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife Inc., a leading global provider of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.metlife.com/mlr.
