Brad Wilson, principal at Chelan High School in the Lake Chelan School District, was named this year’s Washington State Principal of the Year. Every year, the Association of Washington School Principals selects a state winner. Wilson will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). He will compete with winners from other states for the NASSP’s National Principal of the Year award.
Lake Chelan Principal is Driven by Data but Sees and Values the Whole Student.
OLYMPIA — Brad Wilson, principal at Chelan High School in the Lake Chelan School District, was named this year’s Washington State Principal of the Year. Every year, the Association of Washington School Principals selects a state winner. Wilson will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). He will compete with winners from other states for the NASSP’s National Principal of the Year award.
Described as personable and welcoming, you can find him greeting students and staff as they arrive, catching up with them in the halls or at games, matches, events, and banquets. Wilson's work ethic and positive attitude shine front and center, whether
getting to the school extra early to make pots of coffee for everyone or announcing the high school football games.
“Mr. Wilson has an incredibly healthy balance of being data-driven, demanding positive results, and yet consistently putting students, staff, and community at the forefront of his leadership,” said Associate Principal Scott Granger. “One
goal Brad had when taking over was to increase the number of dual credit and college in the high school opportunities and steadily increase LatinX enrollment in these areas.”
Chelan High School is making great strides in those areas, with LatinX students making up half the enrollment in Running Start classes, Dual Credit, and College in the High School options. Discipline rates at the high school are trending down while attendance
and graduation rates rise. The school has also added a Chicano Studies class and additional college-level courses based on community and student feedback.
Under Wilson’s collaborative and empowering leadership, the staff works very intentionally to make sure all students feel like they have a school where they belong and are cared for. Chelan High School values the whole student. Adults and students
alike are challenged to fulfill the Chelan Way and BE MORE (Motivated, Open-Minded, Respectful, and Engaged). Chelan’s data speaks for itself, whether in the school’s inclusionary practices or LatinX freshman success rates.
During the 2018-19 school year, Wilson and a team from Chelan High School participated and presented at the University of Chicago’s Freshman Success Institute. Through hard work, collaborative leadership, and valuing students and community, it’s
no surprise that Chelan’s data and students are moving in the right direction. We are fortunate to have amazing school leaders across our state and excited to name Wilson our Principal of the Year.
National Principal of the Year ProgramIn October 2022, NASSP will select a National Principal of the Year during National Principals Month. Wilson will be honored in September at the NASSP Principals Institute in Washington, D.C. with winners from 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. Three finalists are chosen before the national winner is named.
Download the press release (PDF).
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