Local Educator Dwight Liddiard Among Nation’s Best K-8 Principals

Submitted by lana.hiskey on

Spanish Fork, Utah, June 24, 2013 — Dwight Liddiard, principal of East Meadows Elementary school in Spanish Fork was selected as Utah’s 2013 National Distinguished Principal. The 2013 celebration marks the 30th year that the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) has presented this prestigious award.

Liddard was nominated and selected by his fellow principals through a statewide search process conducted by the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals, said Lana Hiskey, Nebo School District’s Communications Specialist.

A graduate of Brigham Young University, Mr. Liddiard previously taught at Brockbank Elementary, served as curriculum specialist at the district office, and served as principal at Park View and Larsen Elementary. He has served as principal of East Meadows since 2006.

“At the helm of every successful school is a successful principal,” said Gail Connelly, NAESP’s Executive Director. “Our National Distinguished Principals program provides us with an opportunity to recognize the outstanding leadership of these principals and their commitment to creating successful learning communities. Because of them, students thrive academically, teachers grow professionally, and communities are strengthened.”

In October, Liddiard will travel to Washington, D.C., for two days of activities planned to honor and bring well-deserved recognition to the elementary and middle-level educators chosen by the states, the District of Columbia, plus private and overseas schools.

Criteria for selection of the principals require that the honorees are active principals of schools where programs are designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students and where there are firmly established community ties with parents and local business organizations. 

Liddiard has been honored with numerous accolades including Utah’s Mentor Principal of the Year in 2011, Distinguished Principal in 2003, Instructional Leader of the Year in 2002, and Rookie Principal of the Year in 1997 by the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals. He received the Utah Reading Principal of the Year by the Utah Council of International Reading Association in 2001 and was selected as the Utah Principal Academy Fellow in 2000. Most importantly, Mr. Liddiard cares and does what is best for his staff, parents, and students.

Liddiard and his wife, Brenda live in Spanish Fork and have two children: Kaylee 24 and Garrick 22.

The National Distinguished Principals program is made possible through the corporate sponsorship of VALIC, an active supporter of NAESP for over two decades. For more than half a century, VALIC has served as a leading plan provider for K-12 schools, higher education and healthcare institutions and manages plans for nearly 25,000 groups, serving nearly two million plan participants.

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Lana Hiskey
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