Relationships are at the heart of a positive school climate, and Collins Hill HS Principal Kerensa Wing is a compassionate school leader who knows the way to ensure continued success and well-being for her students and staff is by being a present, involved figure in their lives. This commitment to relationship development sets the tone for her school community and contributed to her selection as the country’s top school leader by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
This afternoon, Mrs. Wing was announced as the 2020 National Principal of the Year during a surprise ceremony at her school. She was congratulated at the event by her family, staff and students from her school, members of the Gwinnett County Board of Education, CEO/Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks, State School Superintendent Richards Woods and other representatives from the Georgia Department of Education, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce staff, elected officials, representatives of county and state government, district leaders, other GCPS principals, business and community leaders, and representatives from NASSP and Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals.
“Kerensa has made a profound and deliberate impact on her students, teachers, and administrators by creating an environment responsive to her school and community’s specific needs, while also allowing for innovation and entrepreneurship to ensure academic success and well-being,” says JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP.
In naming Mrs. Wing as this year’s recipient, NASSP officials cited her efforts to hire, train, and retain high-quality teachers who are student-focused and reflect the student population. A collaborative, professional learning community, cultural competency training, and dedicated advisement time help teachers build strong connections with both students and other educators in a safe and nurturing environment. With this support, Collins Hill students soar academically with opportunities to pursue advanced curriculum offerings and take part in project-based learning.
“For [Mrs. Wing], the role of principal is not just a job, it is a true calling,” says Mr. Wilbanks. “She is a strong instructional leader whose care and concern for her students, her staff members, and her school community is evident in all that she does. That spirit, along with her humble and hardworking demeanor, is a key to her success and I am sure it was noted by those who selected her to be this year's National Principal of the Year. The simple truth is that Mrs. Wing makes us all better— her students, her school, and our district— and I am proud to call her one of our own.”
Before her selection as National Principal of the Year, Mrs. Wing was honored as 2019 Georgia Principal of the Year. Now in her 30th year with GCPS, she first joined the school district in 1990 to teach social studies, serving at Shiloh HS and Collins Hill HS. In 2002, Mrs. Wing became an assistant principal at Collins Hill, a position she held until she was named as the first principal of Lanier HS in 2010. In February of 2014, she had a homecoming of sorts as she returned to Collins Hill as its principal.
Mrs. Wing earned her bachelor’s degree in History and Education from Oglethorpe University, going on to earn a master’s degree in Social Studies from Georgia State University and a specialist’s degree in Educational Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University. She is a graduate of the school district’s 2008 Quality-Plus Leader Academy Aspiring Principal Program. In 2002, she was a finalist for the Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year title.