When we asked Ridgedale Elementary Principal Sheri Petitte for some lessons she’s learned, we saw why she’s now won this category for a second year in a row:

• Be highly visible. You can’t “principal” from your desk.
• Communication is key. Be transparent and on-time.
• Listen more than you speak.
• Find opportunities to build relationships—learning students’ names pays off.
• Don’t be afraid to have fun with students.
• Hold yourself to high standards, and have high expectations for staff and students.
• When the school’s culture is positive and respectful, she says, the school grows and moves forward. Staff, students, and families feel connected and successful.

This is why she was voted best prek-12 principal in Morgantown in 2022.