RI High School/Secondary Principal of the YearEach year RIASP selects a Rhode Island High School Principal of the year who then becomes eligible for consideration as the National High School Principal of the Year. The NASSP National Principal of the Year award program annually recognizes outstanding school leaders who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students. These principals are acknowledged by their peers for the exemplary contributions they have made to the profession. The program honors school principals who have demonstrated excellence in collaborative leadership; curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and personalization. Anyone may nominate an eligible principal – a superintendent, a principal, a teacher, a parent, a student. | PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS High School Principal of the Year 2005 - Gerald Foley - North Kingstown High School 2006 - Robert Mitchell - Chariho Regional High School 2007 - Colleen Gribbin - St. Mary's Academy Bay View 2008 - Robert Littlefield - Portsmouth High School 2009 - Daniel Warner - Narragansett High School 2010 - Patti DiCenso - Rogers High School 2011 - Dennis Mullen - Pilgrim High School 2012 - Daniel Kelley - Smithfield High School 2013 - Michael Hobin - Coventry High School 2014 - Scott Sutherland - Mount Pleasant High School 2015 - Alan J. Tenreiro - Cumberland High School (2016 - Category combined with Middle School and made Secondary title) 2016 - Jason Masterson - McCourt Middle School 2017 - Christopher Savastano - William E. Tolman High School 2018 - Joseph Hurley - Barrington High School 2019 - Kevin McNamara - Lincoln High School 2020 - Craig MacKenzie - Chariho Regional High School 2021 - Deborah DiBiase - Mt. Hope High School 2022 - Scott Barr - Providence Classical High School 2023 - Robert McCarthy - Central Falls High School 2024 - Bethany Coughlin - North Cumberland Middle School |
2025 Secondary Principal of the Year
Susan Craven - Tiverton High School
Sue Craven is one of the rare cases where a union leader crosses over to take over leadership of a school. Key to her success as a principal is she never lost sight of her roots. She started her career as a middle school teacher in Narragansett where she served as president of NEA/Narragansett for six years. She was a teacher leader and district literacy coach during this time.
In 2018 she moved "across the bridges" to become principal at Tiverton Middle School for three years before being asked to take the helm at Tiverton High. While at THS she has helped to create four career and technical education programs, led the effort toward an exceptional accreditation evaluation buy the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), kept an intense concentration on student achievement resulting in Tiverton High having the highest graduation rate in Rhode Island for three years running.
In her letter of nomination, administrative assistant Christine Gianinni described her leader as one who, "fosters a collaborative and supportive environment, building strong relationships with both teachers and parents. Her approachable, professional demeanor ensures that parents feel connected, while her students find her both compassionate and accessible. She has created a space where students feel safe coming to her with personal or academic concerns, a testament to her warm and empathetic leadership style."
In her "spare time" she also serves as a principal coach to beginning school leaders.
Craven earned her BA in English from Rhode Island College as well as her M.Ed. in educational leadership.