2011 Milken Award Recipient Denise Pritchard - Principal, N.P. Trist Middle School

Today started off with a big surprise for one middle school principal in St. Bernard Parish. N.P. Trist Middle School Principal Denise Pritchard had planned an assembly of the entire school to welcome Acting State Superintendent of Education Ollie Tyler and Dr. Gary Stark, Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, who was visiting the school on behalf of the Milken Family Foundation. But the program quickly turned into an unexpected celebration for her when Tyler announced that Principal Pritchard was being honored with the prestigious 2011 Milken Educator Award and a $25,000 cash prize.

Pritchard, a 22-year educator, became head of the St. Bernard Parish middle school prior to the 2009-2010 school year. Under her leadership, N. P. Trist Middle School has increased its School Performance Score from 88.3 in 2009 to 109.9 in 2011, representing nearly a 25 percent increase. Her teachers say these gains are a direct result of her leadership and "can do" attitude, which is grounded in the school-wide belief that all students can achieve at higher levels.

N.P. Trist is entering its fourth year as a TAP school. Earlier this year the school's leadership team was recognized with a Leadership Award at the annual TAP Summer Institute.

Milken Educator Award recipients from across the country are selected by the Milken Family Foundation, which seeks out educators who demonstrate the qualities of world-class teachers. Among the criteria for selection are:
• Exceptional educational talent, as evidenced by effective instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and schools;
• Exemplary educational accomplishments beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession;
• Contributions to education that are largely unheralded, yet worthy of the spotlight;
• Strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership by early-to-mid-career educators; and
• Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Milken Educator Awards. Since the program began, more than 2,500 teachers across the country have been awarded more than $63 million. Louisiana joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 2001. Since that time, 29 Louisiana educators have received the honor and collectively been awarded $725,000. Nationally, up to 40 educators will be awarded approximately $1 million this year.

In addition to the cash prize, new Milken Award recipients also receive an all-expenses paid trip to Los Angeles to participate in the Milken Educator Forum, which focuses on innovative strategies for advancing teacher effectiveness.

For more information on the Milken Educator Awards, please visit www.mff.org.

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News & Politics

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• louisiana milken award
• denise pritchard
• N.P. Trist Middle School
• St. Bernard Parish Schools
• Ollie Tyler
• Gary Stark
• Doris Voitier