Interim Commissioner Oliva Announces Florida’s 2022 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year
Florida Department of Education | FDOE Press Office | May 23, 2022
Tallahassee, Fla., May 23, 2022 – Florida Interim Education Commissioner Jacob Oliva has named Carolyn Davis, principal of Rutledge H. Pearson Elementary School in Duval County, the 2022 Florida Principal of the Year, and Stacia Werner, assistant principal of Beverly Shores Elementary School in Lake County, as the 2022 Florida Assistant Principal of the Year. Both honorees represent excellence in Florida education and were selected for their exemplary contributions to their schools and communities, including increasing student performance, promoting safe learning environments and establishing partnerships with parents and community members.
Principal Carolyn Davis has a talent for achieving school turnaround success. Under her leadership, Rutledge Pearson Elementary School has moved from a D to an A-rated school, marking her fourth career A-rated turnaround. Principal Davis builds rapport with teachers, asserts high behavioral and academic expectations for students, and celebrates student success. She is praised as the consummate professional who infuses her passion for education into every teacher and student engagement. Principal Davis is a true education leader who believes her primary responsibility is to ensure that her students are learning every single day.
Assistant Principal Stacia Werner is a cherished member of Beverly Shores Elementary School’s administrative team. Since joining the school’s turnaround effort in 2019, Assistant Principal Werner’s commitment, enthusiasm and passion have not waivered. She is widely recognized for modeling the values and attitudes necessary for student achievement, and her coaching background provides a unique capacity to build student relationships. Assistant Principal Werner also works with teachers on instructional practices, meets with parents and community partners, and maintains a core commitment to academic growth.
“School leadership is critical to serving the educational needs of students, families and communities, and Carolyn Davis has gone above and beyond in that mission. My sincere congratulations for your selection as the 2022 Florida Principal of the Year and for a job well done,” said Interim Commissioner of Education Jacob Oliva. “My congratulations to Stacia Werner for her selection as the 2022 Florida Assistant Principal of the Year. Her leadership in the assistant principal role has supported both students and educators while setting a high bar for others to emulate.”
“Carolyn Davis exemplifies all that is good in educational leadership in public schools today,” said Duval County Superintendent Diana L. Green. “She understands the powerful role of relationships in the performance of her school, and she works strategically to grow morale, motivation, and commitment among staff, students, and families, all of which become a cultural multiplier in the calculus of student outcomes.”
“Stacia Werner is the best of the best and worthy of the honor of Florida’s Assistant Principal of the Year,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Diane Kornegay. “Her strength in improving student achievement is matched by her ability to create a strong and supportive school culture, a place where everyone wants to be.”
Congratulations also to this year’s other Principal of the Year finalists:
- Jennifer Ellis, Everglades Elementary School, Okeechobee County
- Amy Archer, Garden Elementary School, Sarasota County
Congratulations also to this year’s other Assistant Principal of the Year finalists:
- Sarah Dobbs, Oakcrest Elementary School, Marion County
- Sarah Ray, Wildlight Elementary School, Nassau County
The 2022 Florida Principal of the Year receives a $3,500 prize, while the two finalists receive $1,500 each and the district winners receive $275.
The 2022 Florida Assistant Principal of the Year receives a $2,500 prize, while the two state assistant principal finalists receive $1,000 each and the district winners receive $215.
