RALEIGH — Dr. Patrick Greene, principal of Greene Central High School located in Greene County was named the 2022 Wells Fargo NC Principal of the Year at a ceremony held at the Umstead Hotel in Cary on May 20.
Greene began his education career in 2004 as a high school social studies teacher and AVID teacher and coordinator at Farmville Central High School for four years in Pitt County. Greene also served three years an assistant principal at J.H. Rose High School, also in Pitt County.
The NC Principal of the Year (NCPOY) program which recognizes outstanding principals across the state began in the 1980s.
“Patrick trusts student leaders to set an example for their peers to improve their school, and they, in turn, trust him to hear them out and respond genuinely and effectively,” N.C. State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said. “He trusts his teachers to work hard and give students everything they need to grow and succeed. And for their part, teachers trust him to work just as hard – maybe even harder – to provide and protect the kind of learning environment they need to achieve powerful teaching and learning in their classrooms.”
As part of their duties, once named, the NCPOY travels the state over the next school “as an ambassador for the profession as supported by Wells Fargo and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.”
Being named NCPOY has its perks such as an award of $3,000 for personal use and $3,000 for use at their school.
Additionally, the NCPOY and a guest or two educators of their choosing, will attend the Global Education Symposium in Boston in 2022. The NCPOY will also receive an engraved vase, a custom-made NC Principal of the Year signet ring from Jostens, and resources to help combat child hunger from No Kid Hungry NC.
The other regional finalists for the 2022 award were:
- Northeast: Alison Covington, South Greenville Elementary (Pitt County Schools)
- Southeast: Dr. Patrick Greene, Greene Central High (Greene County Schools)
- North Central: Keith Richardson, Knightdale High (Wake County Public Schools)
- Sandhills: Antonio Covington, East Hoke Middle (Hoke County Schools)
- Piedmont-Triad: KaTrinka Brown, Jackson Middle (Guilford County Schools)
- Southwest: Larenda Denien, Idlewild Elementary (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)
- Northwest: Dr. Heather Melton Freeman, North Wilkes Middle (Wilkes County Schools)
- Western: Dr. Marsha S. Justice, Edneyville Elementary (Henderson County Public Schools)
- Charter Schools: Maria Mills, Carolina Charter Academy (Angier)
For more information on the NYPOY program, visit the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s website under “Educator Recognition Programs” at: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/educators/educator-recognition-programs
