Principals work hard to put their students first and create outstanding schools, yet their efforts are seldom properly recognized. That’s why the American Federation of School Administrators, the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Association of Secondary School Principals have designated October 2017 as National Principals Month.

National Principals Month is a time to spotlight the crucial role principals play in school and student success. To properly celebrate our principals and highlight their leadership in both schools and communities, we have planned several activities:

• Capitol Hill Event: On October 24, join a special Capitol Hill event featuring a panel of education leaders discussing the impact of education policy.

• Video Contest: Students can create fun videos about how much their principal means to them and submit them as part of a video contest. The deadline for submission is September 29.

• #ThankAPrincipal: Students, teachers, and principals can share their school’s celebrations by posting on social media with #ThankAPrincipal. Join in! Access our social media toolkit for sample posts you can use.

• E-cards: Students, parents, and staff can send special e-cards to their principal.

• Webinars: Professional learning sessions will focus on topics and issues related to principals and leadership.

• Shadowing Day Visits: We encourage principals to take this opportunity to ask one of their members of Congress to shadow them for a day, so they can experience firsthand the responsibilities of exemplary principals.

We hope that you join us in celebrating and spreading the word to your audiences about these activities and the many others you can discover at www.principalsmonth.org.