Tracy Horrell was selected as the District 2 Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Principals and the Horace Mann Companies. “It’s not just me, it’s everyone. I want to thank everyone for their support,” Horrell said in a telephone interview this morning. According to a press release from Warsaw Community Schools this morning, Horrell now will be competing with the district winners from the 12 other Indiana districts for the state Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year. The state winner will be announced in November. Horrell was selected based on his community involvement, school service and evidence of school leadership at Edgewood Middle School, in the district and at the state level, according to the release. Highlights included in his nomination were his work with Morning Optimists, PBIS, Core Strategic Planning Team for Warsaw Community Schools and leadership with middle school Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and school safety initiatives. Horrell said this is his 15th year with WCS and his fifth year as an assistant principal at Edgewood. Prior to becoming the assistant principal, Horrell was a physical education and health teacher at Edgewood. He found out he had won Wednesday while going through his mail. When he opened the piece of mail stating he was recipient of the honor, he was surprised. “I was overwhelmed and honored to represent the district for this award,” he said. Now, Horrell must put together a portfolio, including letters of recommendation, for the state competition. To win the District 2 Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year honor, someone from Edgewood nominated him, he said. Now, the state award nominees from the 12 districts will be compared and the IASP wants community input. Horrell said he’s been at Edgewood so long because of the people. “The students, the staff, the community – it’s just a great place to work,” he said. “... It’s not just me. I can’t do my role without the great people around me. It’s the community and staff as well.”
