Local Principal, Mary-Elaine Leake,
Among America’s Best School leaders
honored for sustaining strong schools during
National Principals Month
Among America’s Best School leaders
honored for sustaining strong schools during
National Principals Month
ALEXANDRIA, VA–October 9, 2014–Mary-Elaine Leake is among
61
outstanding elementary and middle school principals from
across the
nation and abroad who have been named as 2014 National
Distinguished
Principals https://www.naesp.org/national-distinguished-principals-program (NDP)
by the National Association of Elementary School Principals
http://www.naesp.org/ (NAESP).
by the National Association of Elementary School Principals
http://www.naesp.org/ (NAESP).
Leake is principal of Astoria Lutheran School in Astoria, New York.
The NDPs
will be honored Oct. 17 at an awards banquet
at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.,
as part of a two-day program.
This year marks the 25th year that the program has been
generously funded by VALIC.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will deliver opening remarks.
at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.,
as part of a two-day program.
This year marks the 25th year that the program has been
generously funded by VALIC.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will deliver opening remarks.
Established in 1984, the program recognizes public and
private school
principals who make superior contributions to their
schools and communities.
The distinguished principals are selected by
NAESP state affiliates, including the District of Columbia,
and by committees representing private and overseas schools.
NAESP state affiliates, including the District of Columbia,
and by committees representing private and overseas schools.
NAESP Executive Director Gail Connelly congratulated the
class of
outstanding principals, noting their significant role in
successfully
leading students, schools, and communities through
seismic shifts in
education. “These principals lead their school
communities with courage
and compassion,” she said. “They represent the best and
brightest of
the more than 65,000 elementary and middle-level
principals who are
educating our nation’s children to their fullest
potential.”
“VALIC is very proud of our 25 year partnership with the
National
Distinguished Principals Award Program,” said Jana Greer,
President and
CEO of VALIC. “We recognize the critical role education
plays in the
lives of our nation’s children, and principals are the
key to ensuring
the highest quality education. On behalf of VALIC,
I warmly
congratulate all 61 of this year’s National Distinguished
Principals
and extend my deepest thanks for all that they do.”
October is a particularly fitting month to acknowledge
the work of
principals, as a bill has been introduced in the House of
Representatives and another passed in the Senate
declaring October 2014
National Principals Month http://www.principalsmonth.org/ (S. Res.
National Principals Month was established to recognize
and honor the
contributions of school principals and assistant
principals toward the
success of the nation’s students, and encourage awareness
of their
significance.
NOTE: A list of the 2014 NDPs can be accessed at
http://www.naesp.org/2014-class-national-distinguished-principals>.
*****
Established in 1921, the National Association of
Elementary School
Principals (NAESP) serves elementary and middle school
principals in
the United States, Canada, and overseas. NAESP leads in
the advocacy
and support for elementary and middle-level principals
and other
education leaders in their commitment to all children.
For more than half a century, VALIC has served as a
leading retirement
plan provider for K-12 schools and school districts,
healthcare, higher
education, government and other not-for-profit
institutions. As of June
30, 2014, VALIC has more than $88 billion in total
customer assets
under management and manages plans for nearly 24,000
groups serving
more than 2 million plan participants. VALIC represents
The Variable
Annuity Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries,
VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. and VALIC Retirement Services Company.
VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. and VALIC Retirement Services Company.