Principal & Teacher of the Year Awards

To be eligible for Principal of the Year, a nominee must:

• Be a full-time principal serving students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 at an accredited ACPS school.
• Have a minimum of two years of experience as a principal, including at least one year in ACPS.
• Be serving as a principal during the current school year.
• Remain in a principal position throughout the current school year.
• Meet all applicable eligibility requirements established for the regional awards program.

An eligible nominee should:

• Inspires excellence and creativity, and provides an innovative vision for the future of their school. 
• Establishes meaningful relationships throughout the school division and community.
• Fosters cooperation between the school and the community.
• Demonstrates and encourages creativity and innovation.
• Maintains a continuous dialogue with students, families, faculty and staff.
• Remains informed about developments in the field of education.
• Encourages team spirit.
• Demonstrates leadership and exemplifies commitment.
• Plays an active role in the classroom.
• Maintains their position as principal throughout the 2025-26 school year.

Principal of the Year nominations are coordinated by each individual school’s assistant principal and school leadership teams at schools with an eligible principal. Each nomination packet includes a formal nomination and letters of support demonstrating how the principal provides outstanding leadership and positively impacts students, staff, families and the broader school community.

Letters of support from students, staff, families, community members and community partners are encouraged. Individuals interested in supporting an eligible principal’s nomination should contact the school’s leadership team to learn about the submission process, requirements and how they can contribute to the nomination packet.
 

Eligible nominations will be reviewed through the ACPS selection process. Nominees may be asked to provide additional written responses or supporting materials to assist the selection committee in making its final decision.

All nominee and selection information will remain confidential until official announcements are made.

To be eligible for Teacher of the Year, a nominee must:

• Be a full-time teacher serving students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 at an accredited ACPS school.
• Have a minimum of two years of teaching experience, including at least one year in ACPS.
• Be serving as a teacher during the current school year with plans to continue serving through the following school year.
• Remain in a teaching position throughout the current school year.
• Meet all applicable eligibility requirements established for the regional awards program.

An eligible nominee should:

• Instills in students a desire to learn and achieve.
• Understands the individual needs of students, encourages their talents and fosters their self-esteem.
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students.
• Fosters cooperative relationships with their colleagues and the community.
• Demonstrates outstanding leadership.
• Maintains their teaching position throughout the 2025-26 school year.

To nominate an ACPS teacher, submit a written statement of support to the principal of the teacher’s school by [DEADLINE].

The statement should provide clear and specific examples demonstrating how the teacher meets the award criteria and describe the teacher’s impact on students, colleagues, families, the school or the broader ACPS community.

If you are interested in nominating a teacher, contact the school’s leadership team to learn more about its nomination process, submission requirements and how you can support the teacher’s nomination. 
 

Each ACPS school, in partnership with its staff, may select one teacher as their school’s Teacher of the Year. This person will advance for consideration of the divisionwide Teacher of the Year award. 

School-level nominees will be evaluated through the ACPS selection process. Individuals selected to advance as divisionwide finalists may be asked to submit additional written responses or supporting materials to assist the selection committee in making its final decision.

All nominee, finalist and selection information will remain confidential until official announcements are made in the spring. 

• Dr. Liza Burrell-Aldana – Mount Vernon Community School (2023)
• Jasibi Crews – Cora Kelly School for Math, Science & Technology (2024)
• Pierrette Finney – Francis Hammond Middle School (2021)
• Suzanne Hess – Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School (2025)
• Pree Ann Johnson – James K Polk Elementary School (2020)
• Michael Routhouska – William Ramsay Elementary School (2022)
• Jeanette Vinson – George Washington Middle School (2026)

• Alexandra Bender – John Adams Elementary School (2022)

• Nathan Hershberger – George Mason Elementary School (2023)

• Tiffany Lee-Clarke – Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School (2024)

• Sharon Phox – James K. Polk Elementary School (2025)

• Deedra Robinson – Jefferson Houston Prek-8 School (2026)

• Ashley Sandoval – Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology (2020)

• Vilma Zefran – T.C. Williams High School (2021)