Dr. John Hargrove, principal of Henderson Middle School, holds the plaque he received for his successful completion of the state’s Distinguished Leadership Program for top school administrators.
Dr. John Hargrove, principal of Henderson Middle School, recently completed the Distinguished Leadership Program (DLP), a year-long leadership development program for practicing school principals. The program is designed and provided by the North Carolina Principal’s and Assistant Principal’s Association in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the University of North Carolina’s LearnNC program.
Hargrove is a native of Vance County. He has been a principal with Vance County Schools since 2006, first as principal of the old Clark Street Elementary School and then at the new Clarke Elementary School, before becoming principal at Henderson Middle.
The Distinguished Leadership in Practice Program (DLP) uses a non-traditional professional development model that is aligned to the performance evaluation standards adopted by the State Board of Education for North Carolina’s school leaders. This unique cohort-based program is designed to limit principals’ time away from their schools by allowing them to attend face-to-face sessions once every other month while accessing on-line assignments, materials and coaching in between face-to-face sessions. Principals engage in a series of authentic activities throughout the year-long experience that are designed to build the capacity of their schools and their own capacity as “Distinguished” school leaders.
“The leadership of the school principal is by far one of the most important factors in school quality. By completing this very rigorous program, our DLP graduates have demonstrated their commitment to continuous improvement by working to improve their leadership skills as they simultaneously improve their schools. We are proud to include them in the ranks of successful DLP completers,” said Dr. Shirley Prince, NCPAPA Executive Director.
The program is offered in three locations, Wilmington, Raleigh and Charlotte, in order to serve principals in all eight regions of the state.
The North Carolina Principal’s and Assistant Principals’ Association (NCPAPA), in existence since 1976, is the preeminent organization and state voice for principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders. NCPAPA represents more than 5,000 members from across the state and serves as the state’s principal affiliate of the N.C. Association of School Administrators (NCASA), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).