2025-2026 NJPSA Visionary Leadership Awards
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Excellence Should Be Rewarded… Take Time to Celebrate YOU!

The New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association is proud to announce a call for applications for the prestigious Visionary Leadership Awards. Individuals must submit their application materials to NJPSA no later than October 31, 2025.

NJPSA encourages all school leaders to seize this opportunity to recognize your accomplishments and those of your schools.

  • Visionary Principal of the Year (elementary, middle, or secondary)
  • Visionary Vice/Assistant Principal of the Year (elementary, middle, or secondary)
  • Visionary Supervisor/Director of the Year (elementary, middle, or secondary)

2025-2026 AWARDS PROCESS & CHECKLIST:
The application must include the following items:

  • Personal Essay
    - A 1 to 2 page, personal essay written by the applicant describing one of his/her visionary and transformational achievements that improved the quality of education in his/her  school or district.
  • Applicant’s Current Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation:
    - Current District Superintendent (mandatory recommendation)
    - Principal (if the nominee is an assistant/vice principal or supervisor) or a teacher, a parent, or a student.
  • A high-quality, color photo.
    - Photos should be a headshot (chest/shoulders up) with a plain, colored background.
    - A high-resolution, color photo of each applicant. Images need to be at least 300 dpi, 1500 x 2000 pixels (5 x 7 inches) and in .jpg, .png, or.pdf format.

• To select finalists in each category, the Awards Committee will review applications and consider the applicant's leadership in the following areas:
- Focusing on curricula and improving student learning
- Fostering positive school/district climate and culture
- Empowering and promoting potential in others (staff, students, parents, etc.)
- Extending leadership through affiliations with professional organizations
- Describing/confirming his/her own “Visionary Leadership” in the personal essay.

• Once selected, the finalists will be contacted by the awards committee chair to schedule a site visit.

• When appropriate, individuals selected as Visionary Principal of the Year and Visionary Vice/Assistant Principal of the Year will become the New Jersey nominees for the corresponding NAESP/NASSP national awards. To be eligible, the nominee must be current active member of NAESP or NASSP.

• NJPSA Visionary Leadership Award Winners will be announced in spring 2026 and will be recognized at the 2026 NJPSA/FEA/NJASCD Fall Conference.