This press release was contributed by Margaret Kaplow, NCEA Public Relations Manager.
The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) congratulates winning principal, Jane A. Bona from Immaculate Conception School in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, as one of three Catholic elementary school principals named as winners of the 2016 National Distinguished Principals Award presented by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Ms. Bona will be presented her award in Washington, D.C., at a two-day celebration October 6 – 7.
“To have our principals honored on a national level is exciting,” said NCEA’s Leadership Development Assistant Director Annette Jones. “Their devotion to providing faith-based education and excellent academics not only enriches their teachers and students with a clear philosophy of Catholic education, but also serves to inspire their surrounding communities.”
Ms. Bona has been the principal at Immaculate Conception for six years. Under her leadership the school has seen an enrollment increase of 79%. Ms. Bona has the expertise to make decisions that take the entire school community into consideration while putting the needs of students first. You can find her in classrooms observing teachers to give them useful feedback and getting to know students. Students say she is ready to help with everything from tying shoe laces to working with troubled students. Parents say she is always ready with kind words and encouraging smiles. Ms. Bona was awarded the NCEA 2015 Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Principal Award in March.
Ms. Bona instituted a Blended Learning model in cooperation with the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE), the University of Notre Dame and two other schools. The goal is to enable the Immaculate Conception staff to integrate technology along with the use of data-driven instruction, to create the “just-right level” of learning for each child. Building on the core values of the school to promote Catholic virtues, the Blended Learning model has helped the school track where standardized test scores have improved and how to set academic goals for individual students, while guiding them to keep their hearts focused on the living Jesus.
NAESP recognizes elementary and middle-level administrators for setting high standards for instruction, student achievement, character and climate for the students, families and staff in their learning communities. For more information, visit www.naesp.org.
NCEA also recognizes the other winning Catholic school principals of the 2016 NAESP National Distinguished Principals Award:
Kathleen A. House, Christ the King Catholic School, Little Rock, Arkansas, Diocese of Little Rock
Lynne Scheffler, St. Joseph Catholic School, Lockport, Illinois, Diocese of Joliet
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Rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is a professional membership organization that assists its members to fulfill their teaching mission of the Church and to lead, learn and proclaim the good news of Catholic school education. For more information, visit www.NCEA.org.
