NAESP Welcomes David N. Wick to the Helm

The Montana principal takes on his latest education leadership role starting Aug. 1.

Communicator
July 2019, Volume 42, Issue 11

Outgoing president Eric S. Cardwell (right) “passing the gavel” to incoming president David N. Wick at the conference’s closing general session. Photo courtesy of Lifetouch®.

A school administrator for more than 25 years, Montana principal David N. Wick believes that the principal has the greatest impact on school culture. Because of this outlook, he has dedicated his career to not only his students and faculty but also to his colleagues in education. He steps into his latest leadership role of NAESP president starting Aug. 1, 2019.

“In developing and building positive relationships with all members of the school community, the principal can communicate high expectations, develop an inclusive environment, and motivate all to strive to be their best,” says Wick, principal and director of elementary education at Columbia Falls Junior High School in Columbia Falls, Montana. “While being a principal is a difficult job, I find it to be rewarding and fulfilling, and I respect the many roles of the principal. I am humbled and honored to serve fellow principals in my role with NAESP.”

2019-2020 Board Members

Kimbrelle Barbosa Lewis, principal of Cordova Elementary School in Cordova, Tennessee, takes over as president-elect after filling a one-year term as vice president. Paul Wenger, principal of Jordan Creek Elementary School in West Des Moines, Iowa, will serve as vice president and become NAESP president in 2021.

NAESP welcomes back five zone directors and two directors at large. They are:

  • Zone 1: Victoria Reed, Highland Elementary School in Wallingford, Connecticut;
  • Zone 2: Arlene Rogo, Ed.D., Neptune Middle School in Neptune, New Jersey;
  • Zone 7: Timothy Kosters, Lead-Deadwood Elementary School in Deadwood, South Dakota;
  • Zone 8: Kas Nelson, Vici Elementary School in Vici, Oklahoma;
  • Zone 9: Keith Conley, Geneva Elementary School in Orem, Utah;
  • Director at Large, Middle: Kevin Armstrong, Ed.D., DuPont Hadley Middle School in Old Hickory, Tennessee; and
  • Director at Large, Minority: Liza Caraballo-Suarez, Ed.D., Magnet School of Architecture, Engineering, and Design (P.S. 120) in Brooklyn, New York.

The following will join the board as NAESP zone directors:

  • Zone 3: April Knight, Avondale Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio;
  • Zone 4: Ann-Marie Gleason, Ed.D., Harpeth Valley Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee; and
  • Zone 6: James Edmond Jr., Ed.D., Woodside Elementary School in Sussex, Wisconsin.

NAESP sincerely thanks outgoing association president Eric Cardwell for his service and support over the past year as president and in his previous positions on the board. We’re happy to report that he’ll still be working closely with us as one of the leaders of the new National Aspiring Principals Academy.

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