The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Redwood principal among nation’s best in K-8
“I work in a school with a staff that is innovative, with supportive parents and hardworking students.” — Principal T.J. Ebert
The Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators recently announced that T.J. Ebert, principal of Redwood Elementary School in the Avon Lake School District, was selected as Ohio’s 2018 National Distinguished Principal, according to a news release.
“Mr. Ebert was nominated and selected by fellow principals through a statewide search process conducted by OAESA,” said Dr. Julie Davis, OAESA executive director. “The selection process included an extensive application, interviews, and a school visit from a team of colleagues. Comments from the visiting team included, “the three words used to describe Mr. Ebert are enthusiastic, passionate and engaged. It was very clear that he is all three,’ and ‘He believes in saying ‘we’ instead of ‘me’ and always brings decisions back to doing what is best for kids.’”
Ebert was nominated by Staci Albanese, Northfield Elementary School principal in the Nordonia Hills School District.
“We are all excited that Mr. Ebert has been selected as the OAESA Principal of the Year in Ohio and will be representing Ohio at the national level,” said Avon Lake Schools Superintendent Robert Scott in the release. “Mr. Ebert is an outstanding principal. He not only has the knowledge and skill to do the job, but he has all of the intangibles that make him an educational leader.
“It is my pleasure to work with T.J. every day. He is a supporter of all students, staff, and school as well as a tremendous asset to the school district,” Scott continued. “This is recognition well deserved, but the best part for me as a superintendent is that Mr. Ebert will only get better in the future.”
Ebert has been with the district for 12 years and has been principal at Redwood for seven years.
“I am honored to receive this award,” said Ebert. “I have been blessed to work in a great school district. I work in a school with a staff that is innovative, with supportive parents and hardworking students.”
He is a graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in education and received his master’s degree in administration from Cleveland State University.
Criteria for selection of the principals require that all 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, the release said.
Ebert will receive the award during the OAESA Professional Conference on June 15 in Columbus. In October, he will travel to Washington for two days of activities.