Phyllis Cavallone, principal of St. Therese Chinese Catholic school in Chicago, was selected as a 2017 National Distinguished Principal, an honor that places her among only five private school principals recognized for this national award.

The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) established its Distinguished Principal award program in 1984 to recognize and celebrate elementary and middle-level principals who set high standards for instruction, student achievement, character, and climate for the students, families, and staffs in their learning communities.

This award comes on the heels of two other major awards given to Cavallone by organizations who also recognized her tremendous achievements and success. In the spring of this year, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) presented Ms. Cavallone with the "Lean. Learn. Proclaim. Award" recognizing outstanding Catholic School educators. This award was followed with her being presented in late spring with the Stanley C. Golder Leadership Award from the Golden Apple Foundation.

Cavallone travelled to Washington, D.C., where NAESP presented her and other educators with this prestigious national award. Criteria for award selection require honorees to be 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.

During her tenure at St. Therese, Cavallone has turned the once-struggling school into an international model of academic excellence, community, and culture. Cavallone’s leadership engages school staff, students, families, and community and civic organizations to make St. Therese a nurturing and academically stimulating environment for over 300 children.

The school has a culturally rich, academically rigorous curriculum that combines Catholic values with a deep connection to Chinese culture. Students consistently exceed district and national averages on national standardized tests and are accepted into many of Chicago’s most selective high schools.

For more information, www.sttheresechicago.org