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.

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.