Award Winners

Chelsea Jennings, NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year

Chelsea Jennings, Assistant Principal at Lakeside Junior High School, was recently named the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) National Assistant Principal of the Year (APOY). Each year, the APOY program honors outstanding assistant principals who advance their profession and provide top-quality learning opportunities for their students. Jennings led an initiative to make traumainformed social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions and resources accessible for every adult and student. This year, she partnered with Ozark Guidance to expand school-based counseling services with an additional therapist and behavioral paraprofessional, doubling the number of students receiving services. In an effort to address the heightened anxieties with schools reopening, she led professional development focused on SEL strategies to make sure students and staff could return to work. “We are proud to recognize Chelsea Jennings as the 2021 NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year for her tremendous leadership in developing a positive school culture to ensure the well-being and safety of her students, their families and their community,” said Ronn Nozoe, CEO of NASSP.

April Hagans, AAESP Principal of the Year

April Hagans, Principal of Clinton Elementary School in the Clinton School District, was recently named the Arkansas Association of Elementary School Principals (AAESP) Principal of the Year. Mr. Mike Mertens, AAEA Assistant Executive Director, and Mr. Stacy DeFoor, AAESP President, presented Ms. Hagans with the award during a school board meeting on April 19, 2020. This award is given each year to an Arkansas elementary level principal who has succeeded in contributing to a positive and motivating environment for others and has been recognized as exhibiting exceptional leadership skills in the school community. Ms. Hagans oversaw the implementation of Professional Learning Communities collaborating around student learning. She also led the whole school implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports to create a culture of shared expectations that celebrates and reinforces positive student behavior.