The East Baton Rouge Parish School System honored its 2013 Principals of the Year at a School Board reception Thursday, January 19, at the IRC.

Cynthia Lange was selected as the Elementary Principal of the Year. She is the principal of Glen Oaks Park Elementary School. Shelly Colvin, principal of Woodlawn Middle School, was selected as Principal of the Year for Middle Schools.  The High School principal of the Year is Nanette McCann of the Baton Rouge Magnet High School.

Lange began her teaching career in 1973 after graduating from Southern University.  She began as a kindergarten teacher, earning an administrative degree and position after 21 years as a teacher at Highland Elementary School.  After administrative internships at Audubon Elementary and Glen Oaks Park Elementary schools, Lange served as assistant principal at Melrose Elementary School and also at University Terrace Elementary School.  She followed that as principal for 10 years at Harding Elementary School before making Glen Oaks Park Elementary School her “principal” home seven years ago.  “After 39 years … I still love every minute of it,” Lange said.

Colvin has served as principal of Woodlawn Middle School since 2006.  In this School System, she previously served as principal of Southeast Middle School, assistant principal of Baton Rouge Magnet High School and a Family and Consumer Science teacher at Capitol Middle, Istrouma High and Tara High Schools.  She holds Certification for School Administration, a Master of Science Degree in Vocational Education and Supervision, and a bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education and Home Economics.  During her tenure, Woodlawn Middle School has been honored by the Louisiana Department of Education for Recognized and Exemplary Growth (2008-2010), has increased school scores from 74.3 to 92.9 and added a Gifted and Talented programs.  Professionally, she is affiliated with Phi Beta Kappa International, Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society, the Louisiana and East Baton Rouge principals associations and many others.

McCann has been in charge of the roughly 1,200-student Baton Rouge Magnet High School since 2002.  Previously, she was assistant principal of Tara High School, an administrative intern at Baker High School and Writing Center coordinator and English teacher at Capitol High School.  She holds a Master of Education degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech University.  Also named the 2010 National Principal of the Year by Magnet Schools America, McCann was the 2008 Louisiana Regional II Principal of the Year, 2005 YWCA Woman of Achievement in Education Award winner, 2004 Sue Hefley Educator of the Year, 2007 Region II LACUE Administrator of the Year and the 2009 Reading Renaissance Extraordinary Educator. 

The candidates next will be up for Region 2 Principals of the Year recognition, and regional winners statewide will be announced in early February.  In July, the state announces its winners based on regional awardees.