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Meadowcreek’s Tommy Welch named finalist for National Principal of the Year

From Staff Reports
Aug 3, 2017
Aug 3, 2017
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Meadowcreek’s Tommy Welch has been named one of three finalists for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)’s 2018 NationalPrincipal of the Year award. The winner will be announced in October during National Principals Month.

Welch, who is the Georgia Principal of the Year, is joined as a finalist by Jack Baldermann of Westmont High in Illinois and Akil Ross of Chapin High in South Carolina. The three finalists will be recognized at the 2017 NASSP Principals Institute, an event that convenes all state principals from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Schools, and the Department of Defense Education Activity.

The institute will be held in Washington, D.C., September 24–27, 2017, and will involve a series of professional development activities and meetings with congressional members.

“Each of these extraordinary school leaders has synchronized all the small improvements through the school to make sure they are building toward a large improvement,” said NASSP Executive Director JoAnn Bartoletti. “The strides they have made in school improvement are evident in the engagement and success of their students and we honor them for these accomplishments.”

In a press relase announcing the finalists, the NASSP said of Welch: “The guiding principles that motivate his school improvement efforts are collaborate, inspire, and own — Welch uses these to empower students, staff, and the community to accomplish their goals and succeed.”

Welch, who has been the principal at Meadowcreek since 2011, was recognized in February as the state Principal of the Year. During a surprise celebration of that honor, Gwinnett County Public Schools CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks said:

“When you get the right people, you can get a lot done. I just want to thank you for all that you’ve done for this school, for the students, the thousands of students that have come through here during your tenure.”