Cook County News Herald

Antoine elected president of principals’ association





 

 

Nancy (Lyght) Antoine, principal of Bridgewater Elementary School in the Northfield school district, was elected president-elect of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) in a statewide election Friday, March 6, 2015. She will assume this responsibility on July 1 and serve a two-year term as president-elect, followed by a twoyear term as MESPA president, and a one-year term has past-president.

MESPA is the professional association of Minnesota’s elementary and middle level school principals. MESPA has a statewide membership of over 950 principals and has represented Minnesota’s principals since 1950. MESPA is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and its 20,000 members nationwide.

“On behalf of the association, I congratulate Nancy Antoine on this leadership position,” said Jon Millerhagen, MESPA executive director. “Principal Antoine is an accomplished elementary principal. She shares a commitment and enthusiasm for continuous improvement. Her successful and extensive leadership experience in both rural and metro schools will serve MESPA principals exceptionally well.”

In her candidate statement, Antoine said, “My vision for the MESPA president-elect position is to serve and support Minnesota principals in their role as effective leaders to make education a positive experience for all of our learners, including teachers, students and families. I believe in reaching out to new MESPA members to provide leadership, mentorship and assistance as needed. I feel that we owe it to our new members to help them become the best that they can be.”

“We need to keep the best interests of all students first and foremost in the decisions that we make as leaders. One area that I feel is very important is working to close the achievement gap by changing belief systems of administrators, teachers and parents. We all need to collaborate as a team to make our education system work for all of our students. Poverty, ethnicity, and sexual orientation should never equate to low student achievement nor should they be used as excuses for lower standards. All students have the right to high standards and high learning expectations.”

Antoine became an elementary assistant principal in 2001 at Prairie Elementary in the Worthington School District and then an elementary principal at Prairie Elementary in 2002. She has been the principal of Bridgewater Elementary in the Northfield Public Schools since 2007. She received the Southeast MESPA Division Leadership Award in 2013 and again in 2015.

In addition to her awards through MESPA, she was the Mathematics & Science Elementary and Middle Level Principal of the Year Honorable Mention in 2007. She attended the Minnesota Principals’ Academy, currently serves on the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Selection Panel, and was appointed by the governor to the MN Board of School Administrators.

Antoine received her Bachelor of Science in mathematics education from Moorhead State University, her Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction: K-12 from the University of St. Thomas, and her Master of Arts in educational administrative licensure: K-12 from St. Mary’s University.

Antoine is a 1982 graduate from Cook County High School.


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