Craig is Rockingham principal of the year

Jonathan Craig, principal at Reidsville High School, is the 2008-09 Rockingham County Schools Principal of the Year. Craig was selected by his peers because of his leadership and dedication to the children, according to a news release from the schools.

Craig’s selection was announced Wednesday after a Rockingham County Chapter Meeting of the Principals and Assistant Principals Association.

“This is truly an honor,“ he said.

Classroom experience was part of Craig’s plan, beginning with his initial step in education as a math teacher in 1990 at Lunenburg Junior High School in Kenbridge, Va.. His teaching career continued to include math instruction at Holmes Middle and Morehead High schools before becoming assistant principal at Rockingham County Middle School in 1999 and assistant principal of Drewry Mason Middle School in Henry County, Va., in 2002. Craig returned to Rockingham County Schools in 2004 as principal of Western Rockingham Middle School. In 2007, Craig became principal at Reidsville High.

A Virginia native, Craig completed his bachelor’s degree in math from St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Va.; he received a master’s degree in administration from the University of Virginia.

Craig’s leadership style focuses on the 3 R’s—respect, responsibility and relationships, the release said.

“I expect people to be experts at their jobs and have the responsibility to those jobs at a high rate of succes,“ Craig said in the release. “I strive to be honest with teachers, students, and parents, with the understanding that we are there to do a job together. I love collaboration between staff which increases the amount of personal resources in the school. With our staff and students, it’s important to get to know them; the idea is if you don’t know them, how can you supervise or teach them.

Craig and his wife, Kim, have two children, James Christopher Craig, 13 and Kayri Alexis Craig, 8.

Craig will now compete with other local award recipients from the Piedmont-Triad region. After the state selection process is completed in the spring, one principal will be named the 2009 N.C. Principal of the Year.