Two Jackson County administrators will be recognized later this year by the Indiana Association of School Principals for being outstanding school leaders for 2022.
The association is a not-for-profit professional organization serving more than 3,300 building-level administrators in the state. It annually recognizes administrators in each of the 12 Indiana districts who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students, according to a news release from the IASP.
Indiana District 9 has two principals this year who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students. They are Daniel Mendez, principal of Seymour Middle School, and Chrystal Street, former principal of Brownstown Elementary School and current superintendent of Crothersville Community School Corp.
These educational leaders were acknowledged and elected by their peers for the exemplary contributions they have made to the profession.
Mendez found out about his award May 3 when the associate executive director of IASP notified him. He was recognized as the 2022 Middle School Principal of the Year from District 9, which includes Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Monroe and Morgan counties.
Mendez said he doesn’t know who nominated him, as it is an anonymous process.
“Once you are nominated, there is a process all candidates must complete. Then an executive committee from each region of IASP voted to select the elementary, middle and high school principals of the year,” he said.
Mendez said he has worked with and learned from many great leaders throughout his career.
“I have also worked with excellent staff and teams that supported me throughout my career,” he said. “Those humbling experiences shaped me into the leader I am today, and this honor validates the work of all those I learned from and worked with.”
He said one thing his experiences have taught him is that we accomplish nothing alone.
Mendez lives in Greenwood and has been the principal of Seymour Middle School since July 1, 2019.
When asked what goes into being a successful principal, he said it’s about being passionate, honest and steadfast in the mission to serve kids.
“The principal must have a deep understanding of instructional and cultural leadership,” Mendez said. “This understanding allows the leader to successfully grow teachers and students, and a successful principal must keep the why at the forefront of every decision.”
He said he’s inspired every day to develop students into positive world changers.
“As educators, we have the privilege to make the lives of our students and community better,” Mendez said. “Having the opportunity to help play a role in that is incredibly rewarding. I am incredibly proud to serve the students, staff and community of Seymour.”
Street lives in Crothersville and served as elementary school principal in Brownstown from July 2016 until the end of the 2021-22 school year.
She learned of her award nomination for District 9 Elementary School Principal of the Year through an email from IASP.
“I actually read the email several times because I could not believe it. It is a great honor, but I could not imagine why I would be nominated,” she said. “There are so many principals that do a fantastic job, and I don’t feel that there is anything particularly special about how I did my job as a principal. “
Street said this award is a great honor and means the world to her because someone out there likes the way a school runs with her serving as the principal.
“As a principal, one tends to hear more about the bad things that might be happening, so this news was refreshing to hear,” she said.
Street said there really is no secret to being a successful principal.
“It is about building relationships, listening and being hands-on, and of course, you have to love kids, and I do,” she said. “My goal is to take the same principles that I have operated on my entire career and apply them to being superintendent because I do not know any other way of doing the job.”
Street said the students are our future.
“As educators, we have a fundamental priority to make sure that they have what they need to be happy adults that have the skills for the career of their choice,” she said. “I take that role very seriously as an educator.”
Street loves the education profession and loves being in schools.
“Being an educator is one of the most rewarding careers, and I could not imagine doing anything else with my life,” she said.
The formal IASP awards banquet is Nov. 20 at JW Marriott Indianapolis. In the past, each district principal of the year received a plaque.
For information, visit iasp.org/district-information.