2024-25 Principal of the Year Finalists

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The Principal of the Year award recognizes outstanding principals who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students as well as demonstrating exemplary contributions to their schools and communities.

Congratulations to the 2024-25 Principal of the Year Finalists!

Brandi Gurley
Principal, Orange County Virtual School
Brandi Gurley's focus on student well-being, academic improvement and parent partnerships at Orange County Virtual School set her apart. Gurley fosters a collaborative, data-driven environment that includes virtual learning labs, personalized learning models and wellness check-ins. She tapped task forces of teachers, coaches and specialists to identify best practices in multiple subjects. That led to significant academic improvements, including a 5 percentage point increase in Algebra 1 scores and an 8 percentage point increase in Biology proficiency. Gurley's compassionate approach is exemplified by her support for a student facing personal hardship, ensuring that his terminally ill mother got to see him graduate. In her 24 years as an educator, Gurley's transformative leadership and unwavering belief in every student have made a difference for Orange County’s virtual students.

Myrlene Jackson-Kimble
Principal, Washington Shores Elementary/ Tangelo Park Elementary
Myrlene Jackson-Kimble is a 30-year veteran educator with a proven track record of turning around underperforming schools. A master principal for both Washington Shores and Tangelo Park elementaries, Ms. Jackson-Kimble's approach of collaboration across both schools has fostered a culture of shared responsibility and continuous improvement. Under her leadership, Washington Shores improved from an F school grade to a B. Tangelo Park moved from a D to one point below a B. Jackson-Kimble actively works towards instilling strong and loving values in her students and leaving a positive impact on their lives. As one parent volunteer noted, "One of Mrs. Kimble’s greatest strengths is the ability to foster a positive school culture with high expectations for ALL.”

Lisa Suggs
Principal, Vista Pointe Elementary
Lisa Suggs, a veteran educator with 35 years of experience, is known for fostering a collaborative and supportive school environment. She opened Vista Pointe Elementary during the pandemic and established an open-practice culture that allows teachers to learn from each other’s classrooms. Collaborative data teams helped lead to student proficiency gains of 13 percentage points in reading and 16 percentage points in math. Her focus on resilience and safety has led to a reduction in behavioral incidents and high satisfaction ratings from parents and staff. Her dean of students said Suggs "thrives in ensuring her staff is happy, feels as if they belong, and are ready to tackle every day with a positive attitude.”