At the last day of the division’s annual Leadership Institute, held June 18, at Manor High School, I.C. Norcom High School’s Teesha Sanders was named the PPS 2026 Outstanding Principal of the Year. In addition, Hodges Manor Elementary School’s Terrica Newby was named Assistant Principal of the Year. Both recipients were presented their awards as part of Superintendent Dr. Elie Bracy, III’s closing remarks to all PPS administrators.

Sanders was lauded for her tireless dedication to students, staff and families. Specifically, it was noted that through her professionalism, compassion and strong leadership, she has created a positive and welcoming environment where everyone feels empowered to thrive, especially her students. Under her leadership, preliminary testing results show that I.C. Norcom saw another year of gains in Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, including 6.2 percentage points in writing, 13 points in science, 6.9 points in reading and 5.9 points in math.

For Newby, her award highlighted her strong commitment to building relationships and ensuring that everyone at Hodges Manor felt valued. Her work was called a showcase in the power of partnership at the administrative level as she provides the energy, experience and necessary support for her principal. Thanks in part to this, Hodges Manor also saw growth in student performance. Preliminary data shows that Hodges Manor this year went from a 49 percent pass rate in reading to a 61.9; a 53 in math to a 61.2; and a 49 in Virginia Studies to 60.9.

To see all photos from this year’s Leadership Institute, visit the school division’s social media pages.