Mary Dyer named Onslow County Principal of the Year

Mary Dyer has exceeded her dreams.

The Hunters Creek Elementary School principal dreamed as a child of being a teacher. Now she has been named the 2009 Wachovia Principal of the Year for Onslow County Schools.

"My first reaction was just absolute excitement and surprise - and pride. I was proud because this isn't just about me. It's about my school. It's about what happens in this school every day," Dyer said.

When the selection committee visited Hunters Creek Elementary, they didn't just meet with Dyer. They also saw the school's teachers and students in action and interacting, she said.

"This is not just about me," Dyer reiterated. "It's about the Hunters Creek family."

The honor, however, is taking a toll on Dyer's nerves.

"It takes me from the safety of the school building and Onslow County Schools, and takes me a little further beyond our school system, so it makes me kind of nervous," she said with a laugh.

Dyer became a principal 19 years ago, at the recommendation of former Principal Bill Kelly.

"He made that suggestion and I took him up on it," Dyer said.

But it was an idea that was already in her heart.

Having taught for seven years, Dyer felt she could help other teachers become more effective and make a difference in their pupils' lives. Almost 20 years later, Dyer remains a principal in Onslow County.

"What better way to cause that to happen than from this chair," Dyer said as she sat in her sunlit office.

Dyer, along with the Onslow County Teachers of the Year, will be honored Friday at the annual Salute to Excellence Breakfast hosted by the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, which will be from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at Hilda's.

From there, she will compete with five other principal of the year recipients from the Southeast Region of the state, according to a press release from Onslow County Schools. One of the six will be selected as the 2009 Wachovia Principal of the Year for the Southeast Region.

There are six regions, and the Principal of the Year for each region will compete for 2009 Wachovia Principal of the Year for North Carolina.

Contact Jacksonville/Onslow County reporter Amanda Hickey at 910-219-8461.