News

At the November 25th, 2024 Fairfield County Council Meeting, Fairfield County Council recognized Fairfield Central High School Principal Dr. Tracie Swilley. Dr. Swilley was named the 2025 National Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals at the October 21st, 2024 NASSP gala in Washington, DC. This honor comes after being named the 2024 South Carolina Secondary Principal of the Year through the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA).

“Tracie’s leadership has shaped Fairfield Central into a model of learning. Her approach to cultivating future leaders and fostering a culture of high expectations is exactly what we need more of in education,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe.

Under Dr. Swilley’s 12+ year leadership, Fairfield Central High School has seen remarkable improvements in:

• Among Black students, who make up 88% of the student body, math proficiency rates rose from 46% to 74%, and reading proficiency improved from 60% to 76% in the last three years.

• The school has achieved the highest graduation rate in school history at 90.1% after two years of her leadership.

• Eighty-one percent of graduates in the class of 2024 were accepted to two or four-year higher education institutions.

“We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Dr. Tracie Swilley on being named the National Secondary

Principal of the Year!” stated Fairfield County School District Superintendent Dr. Tony

Hemingway.

Dr. Swilley commented in her acceptance speech, “This award is not just a reflection of my

work, but a testament to the power of community, collaboration, and shared purpose. I am proud

of the progress we have made, and it's only just begun. This honor belongs to us all. To the

leaders everywhere, remember this, leadership is not about a title, but about service.”

Join us in congratulating the 2025 National Principal of the Year, Dr. Tracie Swilley!