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Record Number: 10531
Displayed from: Dec 10, 2013 , until: Feb 10, 2014
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Holland Elementary School Principal J. Michael Caywood was recently named the 2013 Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) Elementary Principal of the Year.

Caywood was named District Elementary Principal of District 3 earlier this year by his peers. District 3 is made up of Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties. Throughout the state, there are 12 IASP districts, and from the 12 district winners, IASP members chose Caywood as the state winner based on his excellence in leadership.

“I am honored to have been selected by my peers to represent all of the great elementary principals both here in FWCS and across the state of Indiana,” said Caywood, who has been a principal for 33 years.

In her letter of recommendation for Caywood, Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson said, “Mike continues to grow significantly in the areas of instructional leadership and professional learning. While most principals with his years of experience are ready to coast until retirement, he has continued to grow and learn. Last year, 95 percent of his third-grade students passed the IREAD-3 assessment – the highest passage rate in our District. Mike exemplifies the educator who loves to learn and makes sure that his students share that joy with him.”

Caywood will represent Indiana at the National Association of Elementary School Principals National Distinguished Principal Recognition Program in the fall of 2014.

With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 50 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.