Awards & Recognition

The Principal Awards Committee identifies and recommends candidates to the full board of directors for the following annual awards:

• Outstanding Secondary School Assistant Principal of Virginia
• Outstanding High School Principal of Virginia
• Outstanding Middle School Principal of Virginia
• Frank E. Flora Lamp of Knowledge
• Gavel of Authority

Award Criteria

The criteria for the Virginia Outstanding Secondary School Assistant Principal of the Year, Outstanding High School Principal of the Year, and Virginia Outstanding Middle School Principal of the Year shall be the same as the criteria for the National Association of Secondary School Principals/Virco, National Assistant Principal of the Year and the MetLife/National Association of Secondary School Principals National Principals of the Year respectively.  Recipients of the Virginia awards  will be considered for the state candidates for the prestigious national awards.

The spirit of the Frank E. Flora Lamp of Knowledge Award – named after VASSP’s first executive director and long-time association advisor – is to recognize individuals in the field of education who bring honor to the profession, respect for the school principalship, exceptional contributions working with school leaders, and outstanding support to Virginia public school education.

The Gavel of Authority Award is to recognize individuals who use their positions of authority to advance and strengthen the role of the Virginia school principal and assistant principal.