Davis Earns National Distinguished Principal Award
Posted on 10/30/2007
Debbie Davis left her job as principal of Bayyari Elementary School in Springdale last year to take a position where she will teach others the leadership qualities that continue to earn her accolades.
Davis was one of 61 people honored Oct. 19 by the National Association of Elementary School Principals at a black-tie award banquet in Washington, D.C. The honorees were principals, or in Davis’ case a former principal, from public elementary and middle schools. There were one from each state and the District of Columbia, six from private schools, one from the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity and two from the U.S. Department of State American Overseas Schools.
Davis, who now directs the Master Principal program for the Arkansas Leadership Academy at the University of Arkansas, was honored along with Robin Stover, a principal in Texarkana.
“School principals have the ability to affect the lives of their students and teachers in many positive ways – one is to help build the capacity for leadership throughout their school communities,” Davis said. “There are many talented and caring principals in the state of Arkansas, and I am honored to represent them in the National Distinguished Principal Program.”
Beverly Elliott directs the Arkansas Leadership Academy based in the College of Education and Health Professions.
“We were very pleased that we were able to have Debbie Davis join us and direct the Master Principal program,” Elliott said. “She works beautifully with principals involved in the program because she has completed it herself and because of her high standards for achievement. She can relate to the challenges today’s principals face and help them develop their leadership potential.”
The National Distinguished Principals Program was established in 1984 as an annual event to honor exemplary elementary and middle school principals who set the pace, character and quality of the education children receive during their early school years. Public school principals are nominated by peers in their home states, and the final selection for each state’s honorees is made by the association’s state affiliate.
Davis, who earned a doctor of education degree in 2005 from the University of Arkansas, was one of four principals last year to achieve the status of master school principal through the intense three-year program. The Arkansas General Assembly authorized the Arkansas Leadership Academy Master Principal Institute in 2003. It is designed to develop leadership skills of principals through three phases of professional development.
In Phase I, principals from across the state meet during the year in four multi-day sessions for intense study while applying the learning from those sessions in their schools throughout the year. Admission to the second phase requires submission of a portfolio documenting the application of the lessons learned from the first phase and the results of that work to improve student and adult learning in the school.
To be admitted to the third phase, principals must complete a rigorous application process that includes evidence of their impact on education at the district, state and regional levels. These portfolios are evaluated by stakeholders in education from Arkansas as well as from out of state. Scorers received training through the Arkansas Leadership Academy.
Principals may choose to participate in a rigorous assessment of student, principal and school performance by a team of trained examiners with at least one member from each team being from another state. Successful completion of these steps qualifies an individual for Master School Principal status.
The Arkansas Leadership Academy is a collaborative partnership that includes nine state professional organizations, two members from businesses and industry, 15 universities, 15 educational cooperatives, four governmental agencies, three ex-officio members and two superintendents.
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