King Named 2010 Principal of the Year
October 7, 2010 - The Wake County Public School System named Dana King of Millbrook Magnet High School the 2010 Principal of the Year and Robert Grant of Briarcliff Elementary the 2010 Assistant Principal of the Year in ceremonies this evening at the Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh. The awards ceremony is sponsored by Pierce Group Benefits, the Wake County Public School System and the Wake County Division of Principals and Assistant Principals.
 2010 Principal of the Year Dana King |
Dana King, 2010 Principal of the Year
King has been in education for 28 years and has been principal of Millbrook Magnet High for eight years. Prior to that, she was principal at East Millbrook Magnet Middle. She worked as an assistant principal at Athens Drive High and was a teacher at Sanderson High. She also worked as a teacher in California, Massachusetts and Ohio.
King is the current president of the Wake County Division of Principals and Assistant Principals as well as the Cap-8 Athletic Conference. She is a board member for Communities in Schools and the Triangle Leadership Academy. She was the 1995 WCPSS Assistant Principal of the Year.
She is an active member of Asbury United Methodist Church and is on the board of Friends of the Wake County Public Library.
King said one of her focuses at Millbrook has been to increase participation in Advanced Placement courses.
“We looked at the AP Potential Report. Based upon student PSAT scores, the APPR report indicates which students should be able to handle the rigor of AP classes,” said King. “We then held parent meetings for eighth-graders and ninth-graders. These meetings greatly helped our new parents understand academic rigor and why it is important to start this in ninth grade. Then we held AP Parent Night for all parents right before course registration to meet the AP teachers.”
Two years earlier, King had been working with teachers to develop the skills that would help students be successful in AP classes. As a result of these steps, AP enrollment increased to 930 students in 26 AP classes this year.
Assistant Principal Kelly Aman says King has helped restore pride in Millbrook Magnet High with her unwavering, capable and dedicated leadership.
“Dana is always the first person at Millbrook each morning and frequently her light is the last one on in the building at night,” said Aman. “Her accessibility to parents, students and her teachers along with her larger- than-life personality and her take-charge attitude have restored the community’s belief that Millbrook High School is a great school where children enjoy a wonderful high school experience that readies them for bright futures.”
Area Superintendent Ann Hooker says King is enthusiastic about her job.
“She works tirelessly to make the school successful and never loses sight of her main focus – educating children,” said Hooker. “Through the years, she has worked with the staff to increase the graduation rate, increase SAT scores and improve the overall academic performance of the students. Along with these successes, she has guided the school through two years of major renovations, SACS renewal and converting to an International Baccalaureate School just to mention a few challenges.”
2010 Principal of the Year finalists include Jim Argent of Lake Myra Elementary, Dr. Pamela Kinsey-Barker of Brassfield Elementary, Teresa Winstead of Durant Road Elementary and Cathy Williams of East Garner Magnet Middle.
 2010 Assistant Principal of the Year Robert Grant |
Robert Grant, 2010 Assistant Principal of the Year
Grant has been in education for 21 years and has been assistant principal at Briarcliff Elementary for 2.5 years. Prior to that, he was an administrative intern at Washington Magnet Elementary. He worked as a teacher at Washington Magnet Elementary, Durant Road Elementary and schools in New York and Washington, DC.
Grant says the heart of an effective, healthy school is its common vision, mission and shared goals.
“Clearly articulating these, keeping them alive and active and creating conditions that make change possible and successful are the crux of effective leadership,” said Grant. “Being purposeful, patient and strategic allows a leader to create an environment where vision, mission and goals are both internalized and acted on.”
2010 Assistant Principal of the Year finalists include Jennifer Carfano of Herbert Akins Road Elementary, Syreeta Smith of North Forest Pines Elementary, Stacey Weddle of East Wake Middle and Cheryl Munn of Southeast Raleigh High.
Awards presented
The 10 finalists received an acrylic award, and a rolling cart filled with office supplies compliments of Office Depot. The principal finalists received a monetary award that was made possible by Hunt Ward, Lifetouch Studios. And each assistant principal finalist received a monetary award that was made possible by Jubal Stagner and Kim Trezona of Jostens.
The Principal of the Year received a $1,000 check compliments of Hunt Ward of Lifetouch Studios as well as a rolling cart filled with miscellaneous office supplies and a HP Officejet combination printer/scanner/fax/copier compliments of Michael Mann of Office Depot. The Principal of the Year’s school received a $500 monetary award compliments of Michael Strawbridge, Strawbridge Studios.
The Assistant Principal of the Year received a $500 check, compliments of Jubal Stagner and Kim Trezona of Jostens as well as a rolling cart filled with miscellaneous office supplies and a HP Officejet combination printer/scanner/fax/copier compliments of Sonya Reid of Office Depot.
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