LOUDOUNNOW.COM
MAY 6, 2021
PAGE 1
Loudoun County's 2021
Outstanding Educators
This year, the Loudoun Education Foundation is partnering with Loudoun Now to celebrate the educators nominated for Teacher and Principal of the Year. Thank you to the top campaign sponsors: Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, Apple Federal Credit Union, Donald Cooper, Integrus Holdings Inc., Cigna, and WB20, whose donation will help provide a $250 grant to each educator nominated for an award.
Principal of the Year:
Shontel Simon For Shontel Simon, strong relationships are the glue that holds a school together. That’s what came through in the comments from parents, colleagues, and students who nominated her for The Washington Post’s Principal of the Year for Loudoun County. Simon has worked in education for nearly 24 years. For most of her career, she taught third grade, and she has served as the principal of Forest Grove Elementary in Sterling for seven years. Simon assumed Forest Grove’s principalship after the school had two principals in two years. “Even in times of stability, working at a Title I school presents its own unique challenges, let alone the challenges of having inconsistent leadership year after year,” wrote gifted teacher Alan Skubal in nominating Simon. “First and foremost, she took the time and built relationships with the staff, the students and the families. She built upon that foundation to create a community passionate about one cause: everything we do is to benefit the children.”
With most learning taking place online this school year, Simon has had to get creative to build and maintain those meaningful relationships. She sends students and teachers post cards to thank them for their hard work. She regularly pops into virtual lessons to greet classes. And she makes sure to give students who have done something great a special shout out on the morning show. “During every morning show, I tell the students, ‘if no one has told you they love you today, know that I love you,’” Simon said. “I want everyone in this building to know that they’re cared about—I care about them.” It is hard work to truly get to know every one of the 575 students at Forest Grove, but Simon says it’s why she loves her job. In nominating Simon for Principal of the Year, parent Kelly Headley put it this way, “Mrs. Simon connects with the children in her school and forms relationships with them. As a parent, this is more important to me than standardized test scores or school reviews.”
Shontel Simon, now in her 24th year in education, is Loudoun County’s nominee for The Washington Post’s Principal of the Year. She has served as the principal of Forest Grove Elementary in Sterling for seven years.