JMHS Principal Secures WV Principal of the Year Accolade
Principal Cassandra Porter of John Marshall High School in Glen Dale, WV has been named the 2022 State Principal of the Year by the West Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals. Cassie will join her fellow state principals of the year from across the country in consideration as the 2023 National Principal of the Year, conducted by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
“Educating children is the most life-changing gift we can give. Once given it can never be taken away. Education changes lives and the course of the world around us forever” –Cassie Porter
Mrs. Porter is the Head Principal of John Marshall High School, and her passion to teach children is apparent. She has served as principal for 11 years and assistant principal for four years. She holds a BA from Fairmont State University and an MA from West Virginia University. Porter is a strong proponent and advocate of STEM education and has successfully built two fabrication labs, one at Sherrard Middle and the other at John Marshall which has the honor of having the first MIT-Certified Lab in the state. John Marshall has also ensured all students in grades 9-12 have the ability to take Project Lead the Way courses and provides all the strands of PLTW.
Ron Reedy, the Interim Executive Director of the WVASSP, said “The selection of Ms. Porter as our Principal of the Year was after careful consideration of all the candidates, but in the end, the decision was clear that her work and career accomplishments coupled with her care for her students made her the best choice for West Virginia. We wish her the best of luck in her competition for the national Principal of the Year, which is selected by the NASSP.”
Cassandra Porter has earned one of our highest distinctions and is celebrated today as one of the best school leaders in our country,” says NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. “Ms. Porter has transformed what is possible for her students and staff during the most challenging time for American education. Her incredible work in helping her school community thrive deserves to be honored, and we congratulate her on their outstanding educational leadership.”
The NASSP National Principal of the Year program recognizes outstanding middle level and high school principals who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students as well as demonstrating exemplary contributions to the profession. 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 select one middle level or high school principal to represent their state. From these state winners, three finalists are named as contenders for the National Principal of the Year award. The NASSP National Principal of the Year is selected from among the finalists.
