Staff Writer
Richard A. Durost, executive director of the Maine Principal’s Association announced last week that Jane White-Kilcollins, principal at the Hilltop Elementary School in Caribou was named Maine’s 2009 Elementary National Distinguished Principal of the Year.
Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott
Caribou’s Hilltop Elementary School Principal Jane White-Kilcollins received a bouquet of flowers from second-grade student, Steven Courchene, following the announcement to the student body and staff that their principal had been named the 2009 Elementary National Distinguished Principal of the Year. In a ceremony held in the gymnasium at the school on Thursday, March 5, Durost along with Superintendent of Caribou Schools Frank McElwain made the announcement to the staff and student body. “ It’s a happy day here at Hilltop School,” said McElwain, addressing the young students, “but then again it’s always a happy day here, isn’t it?” McElwain went on to explain what the award was all about, congratulating White-Kilcollins on her accomplishments.
This award recognizes one elementary principal in Maine each year for effective leadership, a commitment to academic excellence, high expectations and standards, creating a culture that supports learning, contributions to the profession and community service.
In announcing White-Kilcollins’ selection as 2009 Elementary National Distinguished Principal of the Year, MPA Executive Director Richard Durost noted that, “Ms. White-Kilcollins’ outstanding leadership of a K-2 school and her commitment to excellence in educating all students represent the very best qualities of the effective elementary school principal in Maine. Her commitment is clear and unequivocal. She is a strong educational leader, who has high expectations for school staff, students and herself.”
As Maine’s 2009 Elementary National Distinguished Principal of the Year, White-Kilcollins will be honored at the MPA’s Spring Conference awards banquet on April 30. She will also be honored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals in cooperation with the United States Department of Education in corporate partnership with AIG Retirement in the fall of 2009 in Washington, DC.
“I am truly blessed to work in a school where the community wants what’s best for the students,” said Kilcollins. “This staff is second to none and my reward on a daily basis comes from seeing the 257 smiling faces of the students each day— this serves to reassure me that I have chosen the right career.”
White-Kilcollins received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education in 1993 from the University of Maine at Presque Isle and a master’s degree in education in 1999 from the university of Maine.
Prior to her appointment as principal of Hilltop Elementary School in 2002, she was assistant principal at that school and at Teague Park Elementary School from 2001-2002. She also taught at the Fort Fairfield Elementary School from 1994-2001.
White-Kilcollins has been actively involved in the Maine Principal’s Association. She has served on the nominating and new administrator induction and mentoring committees and is currently a member of the supervision and evaluation committee. She was previously president and secretary of the Aroostook Principals’ Association. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the College of Education at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
White-Kilcollins is also active in a wide variety of community activities. She is a board member of Pines Health Services and is a volunteer and leader in the 4-H program. She is also a member of the Teacher Education Advisory Council at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
The Maine Principals’ Association is a professional association representing Maine’s K-12 principals and assistant principals. The association dates back to 1921 and focuses its work on promoting the principalship, supporting principals as educational leaders and promoting and administering interscholastic activities in grades 9-12.
