Providence High’s Tracey Harrill named Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Principal of the Year
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Thursday named its 2024-25 Principal of the Year: Tracey Harrill, principal of Providence High School in south Charlotte.
Harrill got the surprise of a lifetime Thursday morning when the doors to the school gymnasium opened to reveal all 2,160 students giving her a standing ovation.
Cheerleaders waved pompoms in the school’s signature gold as the band played and the Providence Panther mascot waved a sign that read “Congratulations!” CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill, CMS board members and several principals from around the district were also in attendance.
Over the past two years, Providence has held the title of the highest-performing comprehensive high school in North Carolina based on growth metrics.
As Harrill stepped up to the podium to applause, accepting a bouquet of orange and yellow flowers, her focus was on everyone else.
“I am, for maybe the first time in my life, speechless,” she said. “I want to thanks the teachers and staff here at Providence. You make my job so much easier... All of our accolades are because our staff works so hard in class.”
Harrill was one of 11 finalists CMS named earlier this year after being nominated by her peers.
Harrill is currently in her 16th year as principal at Providence, after previously teaching at Independence High School in east Charlotte for three years and serving as principal of Northeast Middle school. She later served as executive director of professional development at Mint Hill Middle School, which she helped open, and principal of Jay M. Robinson Middle School before starting her role at Providence in 2008.
“I think the thing that is so exciting about Dr. Harrill is not only has she had impact here at Providence High School for the last 16 years, but her ability to impact other leaders and see their impact across the district is just phenomenal,” Hill said. “Dr Harrill’s ability to be here for so long and to continue to have success year after year is just absolutely phenomenal.”
During her tenure, the high school has consistently met or surpassed local, state, and national benchmarks each year.
This story was originally published October 24, 2024 at 10:01 AM.
