The Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals has announced that Clements Middle School Principal Ms. Joy Warren is a finalist for Principal of the Year.

The Principal of the Year recognition program is sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals and Association Member Benefit Advisor (AMBA). The Georgia winner will represent the state in the competition for National Principal of the Year, sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. The Principal of the Year program recognizes principals that excel in educational leadership, resolving complex problems, developing self and others, and community service. 

According to Warren, she was nominated for the award in November 2016 but does not know the identity of the person who did so. The selection committee conducted an extensive review of the performance of her school based on achievement data from the last three years prior to selecting Ms. Warren as a finalist for Principal of the Year. She and the other finalists, Dara Bennett, Pierce County High School, Pierce County;  Dr. Tommy Welch, Meadowcreek High School, Gwinnett County; Dr. Sean Kelly, Chapel Hill High School, Douglas County; and Dr. Tiffany Taylor, Carver Road Middle School, Griffin/Spalding, will now participate in interviews to determine the Georgia Principal of the Year. The winner will represent the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals in the national competition for the National Association of Secondary Schools Principal of the Year. 

“I am extremely honored to have been nominated for this prestigious recognition,” Warren said.  “I am thankful for whomever nominated me and thought enough about the work that my staff and I have implemented over the past few years.  I was very grateful to learn that I was a finalist and will represent Clements Middle School and the Newton County School System to the best of my ability.” 

Ms. Warren was hired for the principal position at Clements Middle School in July 2010 and she has worked there ever since. She had previously served as an elementary assistant principal and later, principal at Fort Valley Middle School, in the Peach County School System. Before making the transition to leadership, Ms. Warren taught fourth grade in Bibb County Public Schools and sixth and seventh grade in the Washington County School System.

“Ms. Warren is known as an innovative problem solver who is committed to the academic and personal growth of all of her students and teachers here at Clements middle school,” said Clements Middle School assistant principal, Fred Richard. “Her staff and students truly benefit from the caring learning environment that she promotes.” 

"We are so proud of Ms. Warren," Newton County School Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey said. "This is an outstanding accomplishment for her and she is very much deserving of consideration for Principal of the Year."