Her Story
About Princess
Princess White serves as Director of Elementary Education in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. With three decades in education, she began as a third-grade teacher for 11 years before becoming an instructional coach supporting teachers across content areas for about 10 years. She then advanced to assistant principal for five years and principal for another five years, recently taking on her current district-level role. White holds an undergraduate degree in elementary education and a master's degree focused on leadership. Her professional focus remains on coaching and supporting teachers to build capacity and best practices, while mentoring young leaders to advance in the profession. She is a member of NCPAPA, ASCD, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, and has been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Notable recognitions include an exceeding growth award and her former school being designated a Purple Heart school for veterans. White attributes her success to persistence and consistently prioritizing student needs in every decision, which guides her leadership with heart and integrity.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Princess
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to persistency and always keeping students first. No matter what decision I make or what challenge comes up, I ask how this benefits my students. This helps me lead with my heart and integrity, and ensures I can sleep at night knowing I advocated for students. Education has peaks and valleys, but seeing it through and knowing there's light at the end of the tunnel keeps me going.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise keeping your integrity - mean what you say and say what you mean, and don't ask others to do things you wouldn't do yourself. Build relationships before trying to change anything. Build solid relationships with families, colleagues, students, and administrators because without them, any change you suggest will get lost.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges are budget cuts limiting resources and salaries, making it hard to retain quality teachers. Another major issue is students coming in with significant social-emotional learning needs and trauma from COVID, with teachers not always equipped to handle severe special needs or communication issues in the classroom.
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