Dwight Liddiard
Principal
East Meadows Elementary School (Spanish Fork, UT)

Every day I realize how fortunate I am to serve as principal of East Meadows Elementary School, located at the base of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains in Spanish Fork, Utah. Despite these stressful, high-stakes times, I love my job and consider myself lucky to work with, and be surrounded by, excellent staff, great kids, and supportive parents.

NAESP and its affiliates have played such an important role in my career. They’ve helped me become the principal that I am today. I know that the schools I have been asked to lead are better places because of the many membership benefits I have received from—and my relationships with—NAESP and its affiliates.

Each principal and each school is unique. Regardless of where we live, special circumstances impact our work. NAESP needs to ensure that the work of our Association reflects the needs of all principals—urban, suburban, rural, and frontier. We must continue to reach out, bring our colleagues into membership, and help them to realize the benefits of our organization.

NAESP helps us to stay on top of all the issues affecting our profession and offers each of us excellent professional development opportunities, such as our national conference and webinars. Principals will find tremendous resources on the NAESP website, and we can stay engaged in real time via the Association’s Facebook page and Twitter channel. NAESP also has some amazing publications that we should all be using and sharing, such as the ever-popular Principal magazine and email blasts. When we make use of these rich resources, we stay on the cutting edge of our profession and best serve the students in our schools.

NAESP is also a strong advocate for its members with the U.S. Department of Education and Congress. Now more than ever we need a strong, unified voice to represent the needs of elementary and middle-level principals and the students we serve.

Our Association’s strength is attributed to the development of amazing state and local affiliate leaders. We must continue to strengthen and build our organization by inviting new members to become involved in the leadership of NAESP.

I am passionate about NAESP and my role as a principal. As a candidate for President-Elect, I pledge to work hard to continue the great work of our Association and to find additional ways to help principals enhance their skills to perform their duties effectively.

I would be honored to represent my colleagues throughout the United States and worldwide to ensure that the viewpoint of the elementary and middle-level principal is well represented. To serve this wonderful profession and to give back to an organization that has helped me have such a wonderful career and life would be an opportunity that I would love.

Professional Experience: Principal, East Meadows Elementary, 2006-present — Principal, Larsen Elementary, 1996-2006 — Principal, Park View Elementary, 1995-1996 — Curriculum Specialist, Nebo School District, 1991-1995 — Teacher, Brockbank Elementary, 1984-1995

Professional Affilations: NAESP, 2004-present (Zone 9 Director, 2009-present; Nominating Committee, 2008; Resolutions Committee Alternate, 2007-2009; Board Subcommittee on Presidential Succession, 2009; Zone 9 Chair, 2007-2008; Chair-Elect, 2006-2007; Utah State Represenative, 2004-2009) — Utah Associaion of Elementary School Principals (UAESP), 1995-2011 (Student Council Conference; Student Council Chair, 2002-2004; Secretary Conference; Awards Committee; Mid Winter Conference; Summer Conference; Nomination Committee; State Representative, 2004-2009; Secretary, 2003-2004)

Professional Honors: Mentor Principal of the Year, Nebo District, 2011 — Nebo School District Service Award (25 years), 2009 — National Distinguished Principal State Finalist, Nebo District Representative, 2003 — UAESP Instructional Leader of the Year, Nebo District Representative, 2002 — Utah Reading Principal of the Year, Utah Council of the International Reading Association, 2001 — Utah Principal Academy Fellow, 1999-2000 — Center for the Improvement of Teacher Education and Schooling (CITES) Cohort, 1998-1999 — UAESP Rookie of the Year, Nebo District Representative, 1997 — Utah Outstanding Title I Program, 1996 — Nebo District Teacher of the Year Finalist, 1990

Civic/Community Honors: Spanish Fork Kiwanis Club Outstanding Community Service Award, 2012 — Utah State University Extension Service Award, 2011 — Spanish Fork High School FFA Outstanding Alumni Award, 2010 — 4-H Family of the Year, State of Utah 4-H Council, 2009 — 4-H Family of the Year, Utah County 4-H Council, 2008

Education: M.Ed., Educational Leadership, Brigham Young University, 1991 — B.A., Elementary Education, Brigham Young University, 1984