Beckie Spears, principal of Wilkesboro Elementary School, was named the 2024 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year on Friday at a ceremony honoring nine finalists from across the state. Spears was cited for her impact on the performance and culture at her school, which exceeded expected growth for the 2022-23 school year. Spears “Mrs.
Spears does a beautiful job balancing instructional and organizational leadership alongside the student, staff and community relationships needed to effectively lead her school,” North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt said. Spears has been principal of Wilkesboro Elementary School since 2019. She was a classroom teacher for 18 years — many of which were spent at her elementary school.
She also served as an instructional specialist and data coach for two years and as an assistant principal for five years. People are also reading..
. Spears has a bachelor’s degree in English from Meredith College, where she was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow and graduated summa cum laude. Her master’s degree is in school administration from Appalachian State University.
Spears will spend the 2024-25 school year traveling the state as an ambassador for the profession, with financial support from Wells Fargo and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She will now compete for the national award from the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Spears was recognized alongside eight addition.