The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

Local news

Related Photos

  • Doug Stafford, Emerson Middle School principal

    Doug Stafford.jpg

Discussion

February 15, 2013

Emerson’s Stafford Oklahoma Middle School Principal of the Year

By Phyllis Zorn, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID, Okla. — Doug Stafford, principal at Emerson Middle School, has been named Oklahoma Middle School Principal of the Year by the Oklahoma Middle Level Educators Association.

As 2014 MetLife/National Association of Secondary School Principals Oklahoma Middle School Principal of the Year, Stafford now will compete for the MetLife/NASSP National Association of Secondary School Principals National Principal of the Year award. The winner of the national award will be announced in September during the NASSP Principals Institute and Awards Gala in Washington.

“I truly work with a dream team made up of an awesome team of administration, teachers, support staff and students, and I thank them every day for what they do to make things great,” Stafford said.

“Doug Stafford is an outstanding spokesperson for middle school administrators from across the state,” said Vickie Williams, executive director of OASSP. “We congratulate him for being named Oklahoma Middle School Principal of the Year by a panel of distinguished colleagues.”

Stafford has been an educator 17 years, starting as a special education teacher at Broken Arrow before being a teacher and principal at Hennessey Public Schools. He came to Enid Public Schools in 2006 as Emerson Middle School assistant principal. He was Enid High School assistant principal from 2009 to 2011, then returned to Emerson in 2011 after the death of Kim Jones.

In 2002, Stafford was honored as Hennessey High School Teacher of the Year, and also received the Masonic Fraternity of Oklahoma Teacher of Today award. In 2012, he received the Global Health Inspiration Award.

“Doug has created a collaborative educational environment at Emerson where he leads his faculty to challenge students in order to maximize their educational opportunities,” said Shawn Hime, EPS superintendent. “I greatly appreciate his commitment to each and every student, and their growth as citizens and life-long learners. Nothing is more important to him than the success of his students.”

“It is vital to communicate, listen, empathize, and show genuine concern for needs of students, teachers and stakeholders,” Stafford said.

Text Only
Local news