We are proud to announce that Mrs. Barbara Zito, Principal of Saint Philip Preparatory School has been nominated for the National Catholic Education Association Distinguished Principal Award. Each year the Superintendent of Schools from each diocese nominates one principal. This year, Principal Zito has been chosen among all the principals as the nomination from the Diocese of Paterson. The nominee must be a faith filled leader who demonstrates strong academic leadership, sets high expectations for school staff and students, while maintaining an orderly and purposeful learning environment. The winner will be announced at the NCEA Convention in Orlando this spring. Congratulations on your nomination, Mrs. Zito! With prayers and God’s blessings on you and your ministry.
About the Award
The NCEA Elementary Schools Department bestows this award to give public recognition to outstanding Catholic elementary school principals throughout the United States. It also uses this award to surface nominees for the National Distinguished Principal Award which is sponsored by the National Association of Elementary Schools Principals (NAESP). The officers of the department select the nominees for the NAESP national award from among the NCEA Distinguished Principals for that year.
History of the Award
This annual award, presented by the Elementary Schools Department of the National Catholic Educational Association, was established in 1987 by the Elementary Schools Department Executive Committee to recognize the vital leadership role that principals play in American Catholic education. The first award was presented in 1988 at the NCEA Convention in New York. At the 2002 NCEA Convention in Atlantic City, it was named in honor of Robert J. Kealey, EdD in recognition of his sixteen years of leadership of the NCEA Elementary Schools Department (1987-2002). The award is presented to one principal in each of the geographic regions into which the department divides the United States. The department acknowledges that in honoring these principals each year, it also honors the thousands of principals in all Catholic elementary schools.