Kinston High principal completes program for ‘distinguished’ leaders

Kellan Bryant, principal of Kinston High School, accepts a plaque signifying successful completion of the Distinguished Leadership in Practice Program provided by the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principal’s Association (NCPAPA) for practicing school principals. With her are Dr. Tom Williams, a program facilitator, and NCPAPA executive director Shirley Prince.

Kellan Bryant, principal of Kinston High School, recently completed a year-long program designed to build leadership skills and produce “distinguished” school leaders.

The Distinguished Leadership in Practice Program is provided by the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principal’s Association (NCPAPA) and sponsored by the N.C. Alliance for School Leadership Development.

Bryant and her cohort of practicing school principals from across the state attended in-person sessions throughout the year and accessed on-line assignments, materials and coaching between sessions.

“The DLP Program gave me an opportunity to network with fellow administrators across the state, work with experts in the field of education, and grow and refine my skills as a school leader,” Bryant said.

Bryant became Kinston High’s principal in 2017 after serving two years as principal of Banks Elementary School, where her work earned her LCPS Principal of the Year honors. She joined LCPS in 2006 as an exceptional children’s teacher at Banks. She taught there for six years before moving into administration as a principal intern, staying at Banks until 2014 and serving two years as an assistant principal at Kinston High.

“The leadership of the school principal is by far one of the most important factors in school quality. By completing this very rigorous program, our DLP graduates have demonstrated their commitment to continuous improvement by working to improve their leadership skills as they simultaneously improve their schools. We are proud to include them in the ranks of successful DLP completers,” Dr. Shirley Prince, NCPAPA executive director, said in a news release.

Bryant is the third LCPS principal to complete the program in the past two years. Dr. Heather Walston, principal of Northwest Elementary School, and Elizabeth Pierce, principal of South Lenoir High School, are 2021 graduates.