Erica Page, in her sixth year as an assistant principal at Pelion High School in Pelion, S.C., has been selected as the 2018 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year.

Page has led efforts to boost promotion rates, test scores, and college and career readiness through dual enrollment coursework, AP classes, and increased honors offerings. Under her leadership, the school rose from zero dual credit hours to 468. This year, one-third of Pelion’s seniors will graduate with college credit and several will enter college as sophomores. Promotion rates have increased 7 percent since 2013.

Committed to elevating opportunity for students in her community, where the poverty index exceeds 65 percent, she envisions a middle college model “so our seniors may graduate with a diploma and associate degree. This opportunity will create another path for success and will have a positive impact on our community.”

Page said, “After identifying our learner-centered problem and problem of practice, we developed a theory of action to pair our most ‘at-risk’ freshmen with mentors and enroll them in our Pride Promotion program to build relationships, create accountability, and increase ownership of learning. Pride Promotion mentors are academic and behavior coaches, who lead restorative conferences.”

Attributing her success to inspiration from her own eighth grade teacher, she asserts “every administrative decision I make comes from believing in students and putting them first.”

Her commitment gets attention. As her principal Bryan Hearn describes, “Ms. Page’s values, beliefs, and attitudes are evidenced by her high expectations for students, faculty, and staff. Her contagious ‘all in for all students’ attitude echoes through the building.”