Hats Off to Principals

Communicator
October 2013, Volume 37, Issue 2

The key to student success is a great school, and the key to a great school is a great principal. This October, NAESP is saluting top-notch principals across the nation for National Principals Month.

NAESP’s celebration has kicked off with a special Facebook contest for teachers, parents, and students to submit stories about their principals. Or, principals can submit an entry about a colleague! Visit and like our Facebook page to view the fun photo, video, and artwork submissions, or to send in your own.

This month is also Connected Educators Month, and NAESP has teamed up with Connected Principals to host a series of Twitter chats Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. (Eastern). Chats will focus on the pressing technology issues principals face. Read more about the chat topics here, and join the discussion on Twitter.

NAESP has also partnered with NASSP and the Department of Education for the second annual principal shadowing program. Senior officials from the Department of Education have the opportunity to walk a mile in principals’ shoes for a day. (Due to the government shutdown, this program may be postponed.) Last year’s shadowing program wrapped up with a briefing session with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Read one principal’s first-hand account of the shadowing program here.

The National Principals Month festivities culminate with NAESP’s National Distinguished Principals (NDP) program. On October 24-25, the 2013 class of NDPs will be honored in Washington, D.C., for their outstanding contributions to their school communities. Read about this year’s honorees here.

The celebration of National Principals Month continues a four-year tradition launched by NAESP and NASSP in 2009. Congressional resolutions to support National Principals Month have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) and in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Al Franken (D-MN) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT).

Keep up with the latest National Principals Month updates here, on the NAESP Facebook page, and by using the hasthtag #prinmonth on Twitter.

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