Johnston County Public Schools had six principals recently complete the Distinguished Leadership Program (DLP), a year-long leadership development program for practicing school principals.
West Clayton Elementary Principal Paige Barnes, Benson Elementary Principal Takicey Dunston, Innovation Academy at South Campus Principal Kelley Johnson, Clayton High Principal Dr. Bennett Jones, South Smithfield Elementary Principal Laura Makey, and North Johnston High Principal Dr. Ben Williams were recognized for their successful completion of the program on March 13.
“We are proud of the dedication shown by our principals over the last year in completing the Distinguished Leadership Program,” said Johnston County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ross Renfrow. “Their commitment to learning and leadership is second to none.”
The DLP is designed and provided by the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principal’s Association (NCPAPA) and sponsored by the American Express Foundation through the North Carolina Alliance for School Leadership Development (NCASLD).
The program uses a non-traditional professional development model that is aligned to the performance evaluation standards adopted by the State Board of Education for North Carolina’s school leaders. This unique cohort-based program is designed to limit principals’ time away from their schools by allowing them to attend face-to-face sessions once every other month while accessing online assignments, materials, and coaching in between face-to-face sessions.
Principals engage in a series of authentic activities throughout the year-long experience that are designed to build the capacity of their schools and their own capacity as “distinguished” school leaders.
“The leadership of the school principal is by far one of the most important factors in school quality. By completing this very rigorous program, our DLP graduates have demonstrated their commitment to continuous improvement by working to improve their leadership skills as they simultaneously improve their schools. We are proud to include them in the ranks of successful DLP completers,” said Dr. Shirley Prince, NCPAPA Executive Director.
This program is offered in Chapel Hill and serves principals in all eight regions of the state. NCPAPA, in existence since 1976, is the preeminent organization and state voice for principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders. NCPAPA represents 5,000+ members from across the state and serves as the state’s principal affiliate of the N.C. Association of School Administrators (NCASA), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
