Durham names 'Principal of the Year'

Durham Public Schools named City of Medicine Academy's Elizabeth Shearer the school district's "Principal of the Year" on Monday.

She received $1,000, a plaque and a gift card to a local restaurant and will represent the district in the North Carolina Wachovia Principal of the Year competition.

Shearer has worked in Durham Public Schools since 1993 and has been principal of CMA since 2008. She served as principal of Lakewood Elementary from 2005-08.

Shearer also worked as a program administrator at Hillside High School from 2002-05 and was principal at E.K. Powe Elementary from 1996-2002. In addition, she was an assistant principal at Holt Elementary from 1993-96.

She is currently pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership and holds a bachelor of art in English and philosophy from the University of York and a certificate of education from Westminster College in Oxford, England.

She also earned a master’s degree in special education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an administrative certification from North Carolina Central University.

The DPS Principal of the Year was chosen by a committee of former principals of the year and administrators. Shearer will go on to compete in the regional competition, and then six regional winners will advance to the final level. One principal will be chosen as the winner of the North Carolina Wachovia Principal of the Year.