Ike's Locke named finalist for US principal of the year

YAKIMA — Eisenhower High School principal Stacey Locke is one of three finalists for the National Principal of the Year.

Next week, she and two other finalists travel to Reston, Va., for the final round of judging for the national award, which comes with a $5,000 grant to improve learning at the recipient's school.

Locke, 50, who was named Washington State Principal of the Year earlier this year, is up against Carolyn Custard of C.D. Hylton Senior High School in Woodbridge, Va., and Mark Wilson of Morgan County High School in Madison, Ga.

Last year's high school winner was from Louisville, Ga.

The national program is sponsored by MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. From 50 state winners, six finalists (three middle level, three high school) are selected and eligible for the National Principal of the Year award.

National finalists receive a $1,500 grant with the winner taking an additional $3,500 prize.

The winners will be announced in September and recognized in Washington, D.C., during the Principals' Institute for State and National Principals of the Year, Oct. 24-26.

Locke is credited with being "the Transformer" of Eisenhower, changing the culture of the 1,900-student school.

She has adopted the idea of creating a "culture of one," which helps align programs to provide personalized education for every student.

In 2002, the year before Locke became principal, the school dropout rate was at 7.8 percent. Now that rate is below 1 percent. Student achievement on the reading and writing Washington Assessment of Student Learning has increased during her tenure as principal. Students also made slight gains in their performance on the mathematics WASL.

Locke attended Central Washington University, where she received a bachelor of arts in education and a master's degree in education administration. She went on to Washington State University, where she earned her superintendent's credentials. She is also a doctoral candidate in education leadership.

After college, she worked as the athletic and activities director at West Valley Junior High before moving on to serve as an assistant principal at Ike. After three years, she was named principal.

* James Joyce III can be reached at 577-7675 or jjoyce@yakimaherald.com