The Principal of the Year Program, sponsored annually by the Connecticut Association of Schools and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), was established to bring recognition to exemplary school principals and to increase public awareness of the critical role that principals play in the education of our youth. The program recognizes outstanding middle and high school principals who have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students. These administrators have demonstrated excellent leadership skills, a selfless commitment to their staff and students, ongoing service to their communities, and contributions to the overall profession of educational leadership.

Individuals nominated for the Middle and High School Principal of the Year Awards are notified of their nomination and invited to move forward in the awards process by completing a written application. The CAS Awards and Recognition Committee, a selection committee consisting of active and retired principals and assistant principals, will review applications and, if necessary, conduct a site visit at the schools of the two highest rated candidates at each level (middle and high). Winners will then be chosen based upon the outcome of the site visit as well as the quality of the written application.

Both the middle and high school honorees will be recognized locally by CAS and will represent Connecticut in the competition for the National Principal of the Year Award sponsored by NASSP. For additional information on the National Principal of the Year Program, visit https://www.nassp.org/recognition/principal-of-the-year.

• Board members of NASSP are ineligible for consideration for one year after completion of their board service. Officers of CAS are ineligible to participate in the program during the period in which they hold any office.
• Candidate must notify NASSP immediately of any change in his or her status as principal. Failure to notify NASSP of change could jeopardize a candidate’s eligibility for the national award.
• Candidate must be an active principal, headmaster, or leader of a virtual, public, or private middle level or high school from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, or the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Schools. Middle level and high schools are defined as those containing some portion of grades 6 through 12.
• Candidate must have served as a principal at one or more middle level or high schools for three or more consecutive school years at the time of nomination.
• Candidate must complete the online NASSP National Principal of the Year application.
• Each candidate must be a principal, headmaster, or leader at a middle level or high school and a member of NASSP and CAS at the time of selection or tenure as state principal of the year. For national finalists, these conditions must also be met at the time of national principal of the year interviews, when the national winner is announced, and during tenure.
• Previous state and/or national winners are ineligible.

The selected principal must show success in the following areas:

• shaping a school culture that is student-centered, promotes equity, and fosters emotional and physical well-being and safety;
• involving students and staff in organizational decision-making and providing opportunities to empower them to be leaders;
• building and sustaining positive relationships with students, staff and parents/community members;
• fostering a collaborative environment that encourages parent input and strengthens school-community connections;
• commitment to continuous learning;
• building systems and supports that have a positive impact on student achievement; and,
• fostering innovation and creativity as part of the learning process and ensuring that students will succeed in a globally competitive society.

• From 1984-1991 – there was only one category for principal of year, not separate categories for middle level and high school
• * Denotes Finalist – National Principal of the Year
• ** Denotes National Principal of the Year