Meet Beckie Spears, the NC Principal of the Year

Beckie Spears, principal of Wilkesboro Elementary, was honored as the 2024 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year for her impactful leadership.

Transformative leadership and dedication to student success have earned Wilkesboro Elementary School’s Beckie Spears the prestigious title of 2024 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. During her five-year tenure, Spears has orchestrated improvements in both academic performance and school culture, leading her institution to exceed expected growth targets in the 2022-2023 academic year.

A data-driven approach to educational excellence

At the heart of Spears’ success lies her commitment to data-informed instruction and collaborative teaching methods, state officials say. Her innovative approach has yielded impressive results, particularly in early literacy. After implementing the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS®) training, her school achieved remarkable reading proficiency rates: 95% among kindergarteners and 83% for first graders.

North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt praised Spears’ leadership style, stating, “Mrs. Spears does a beautiful job balancing instructional and organizational leadership alongside the student, staff and community relationships needed to effectively lead her school.”

Experience & educational background

With nearly three decades in education, Spears brings extensive experience to her role. Before becoming principal in 2019, she spent 18 years as a classroom teacher, specializing in high school English, elementary education, and AIG classes. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Meredith College and a Master’s degree in school administration from Appalachian State University, along with National Board certification.

Recognition & responsibilities

As the 2024 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year, Spears will serve as an ambassador for education across the state during the 2024-25 school year. The role comes with various benefits, including financial support from Wells Fargo and NCDPI, technology from Lenovo, and professional development opportunities at the Truist Leadership Institute.

Eight other regional finalists were also honored at a recent ceremony, representing various districts across North Carolina. Each demonstrated exceptional leadership in their respective schools and communities.

The recognition program, which has been celebrating outstanding principals since the 1980s, continues to promote excellence in educational leadership throughout North Carolina. Spears will go on to represent the state in the National Association of Elementary School Principals Distinguished Principal of the Year competition.

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This story was generated in part by AI and edited by Cardinal & Pine staff.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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