A Hilton Head Island principal is one of three finalists in a statewide contest honoring top principals.
Amanda O'Nan of Hilton Head Island High School could be named South Carolina's Secondary Principal of the Year by the S.C. Association of School Administrators.
O'Nan has been principal at Hilton Head High since 2007. In that time, the school has improved from a "below average" to "excellent" in state report-card ratings, which are based state-mandated tests results, student-teacher ratios, money spent per student, amount of instruction time and other factors.
In March, the school was named Palmetto's Finest by the administrators association.
Attempts Tuesday to reach O'Nan for comment were unsuccessful.
O'Nan is a member of Rotary International, the Greater Island Council and the Business-Education parternship of the Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, according to a news release from the Beaufort County School District. In the release, interim superintendent Jackie Rosswurm praised O'Nanfor earning the support of businesses and the community and for embracing a "data-driven approach to monitor and improve student achievement."
The other finalists are Kelvin Lemon, principal of East Clarendon Middle/High School in Clarendon District 3, and Conrad Lopesprincipal of Stratford High School in Berkeley County.
The winner will be announced in December and compete for the MetLife/National Association of Secondary School Principals Principal of the Year.
Related content
National Merit scholar from Hilton Head focuses on robotics
