Golden Apple Honors East Side Intermediate School Principal as 2020 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership Recipient

Award honors exemplary performance in school leadership by a principal or head of school

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May 12, 2020, 08:42 ET

CHICAGO, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden Apple, the leading Illinois nonprofit committed to preparing, honoring and supporting exemplary educators who advance educational opportunities for students, today surprised Natalie Fry, principal of East Side Intermediate School in Harrisburg, with the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership, presented in honor of founding Golden Apple board member Stanley C. Golder. For the first time in Golden Apple's history, the awardees are being notified differently than in the full-school environment, and Fry was surprised live on-air by a WSIL-TV reporter.

The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership honors exemplary performance in school leadership by a principal or head of school who has had a significant and sustained positive impact on the school, created a culture of inclusivity and delivered dramatic student growth. Fellow educators, students, parents and community members nominate school leaders for the annual awards.

"Schools that are effectively preparing students for the world of tomorrow generally have at least one thing in common, and that is a leader such as Natalie Fry who empowers students, teachers, parents and staff alike to pursue excellence on a daily basis," said Golden Apple President Alan Mather, the inaugural recipient of the Excellence in Leadership award. "Natalie Fry clearly demonstrated during the evaluation process, conducted prior to school building closures in Illinois, the skills and wisdom of an exemplary school leader."

Leadership award nominations increased 40% over last year and were received from 33 counties. This is the seventh year that Golden Apple has recognized exceptional school leaders with the Excellence in Leadership Award.

"Exemplary school leaders foster an environment in which students are engaged to maximize their potential, while teachers are dedicated to providing their students with the support they need to thrive, no matter the circumstance," said Alicia Winckler, Golden Apple CEO. "Golden Apple is proud to recognize principals with the rare gifts leaders like Natalie possess."

About Natalie Fry
Fry attributes her leadership success to fostering trust, collaboration, communication and a "no-fear" mentality to taking risks among her team. "When we want to try something new, we have each other's backs," she said. As a result, several important academic programs have been implemented during her principalship, including a third and fourth-grade reading room, hiring an intervention specialist (MTSS), implementing academic vocabulary at each grade level, adopting a new rigorous ELA curriculum, co-teaching, integration of Chromebooks/Google classrooms and educating staff on ACES and resilience. These initiatives have elevated East Side's state designation.

The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership recipient receives a cash award of $10,000, with $5,000 for the school leader and $5,000 to the school for a project of the recipient's choosing. Award recipients also become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a community of educators who support current and future teachers and deepen the learning of students. Fellows play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers by providing instruction and mentorship to future teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs, each of which is dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois.

The nomination period for the 2021 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership is open. All are invited to nominate exceptional Pre-K-third grade Illinois teachers and Pre-K-12th grade school leaders at www.goldenapple.org/awards.

Golden Apple's social media channels will feature surprises for each of the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership recipients. Follow the news here: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn. All press materials for the surprise notifications can be found at www.goldenapple.org/awards.

About Golden Apple
Golden Apple's mission is to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence in Illinois, especially in schools-of-need. Our leading-edge preparation delivers exceptional teachers who make an impact. We help students thrive in the classroom and in life. Since our beginning, we have recognized master educators annually; and, these master educators help prepare the next generation of teachers. Our vision is an Illinois in which every classroom has a great teacher and to realize this, we are committed to making a material difference in resolving the teacher shortage throughout Illinois. Visit http://www.goldenapple.org for more information.

Media contact:
David Pickard
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SOURCE Golden Apple