Dallas/TEXAS—October 26, 2015 Philip R. Riley Jr., principal of St. Monica Catholic School school in Dallas was selected as Texas’s 2015 National Distinguished Principal. The 2015 celebration marks the 32nd year that the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) has presented this prestigious award.
Riley was nominated and selected by his fellow principals through a statewide search process conducted by the National Catholic Education Association, said NCEA President James King.
A graduate of Benedictine College, Mr. Riley previously held the position of principal at St. Joseph Catholic School in Richardson, TX and James L. Collins Catholic School in Corsicana TX from 2000 - 2012. He has served as principal of St. Monica Catholic School since 2012.
“At the helm of every successful school is a successful principal,” said Gail Connelly, NAESP’s Executive Director. “Our National Distinguished Principals program provides us with an opportunity to recognize the outstanding leadership of these principals and their commitment to creating successful learning communities. Because of them, students thrive academically, teachers grow professionally, and communities are strengthened.”
This month, Phil traveled to Washington, D.C., for two days of activities planned to honor and bring well-deserved recognition to the elementary and middle-level educators chosen by the states, the District of Columbia, plus private and overseas schools.
Criteria for selection of the principals require that the honorees are active principals of schools where programs are designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students and where there are firmly established community ties with parents and local business organizations.
In 2014 Riley was selected to receive the Msgr. John Meyers Distinguished Principal Award, as the Principal of the Year for the Diocese of Dallas. In May of 2015, Riley received recognition as one of the 10 Distinguished Principals in the nation from the National Catholic Education Association at the annual convention in Orlando, FL.
Phil and his wife, Terri, live in Garland, and have two children: Benedict age 17 and William age 15.
Since 1904, the National Catholic Education Association has served as the nation’s Catholic professional educational association and now represents 5,368 elementary and middle schools throughout the nation. NCEA maintains close ties with the metropolitan Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Elementary School Principals and its 20,000 members worldwide.