William Sterrett
Assistant Professor
Year Honored: 2008
University of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmington, NC
At the time of the Award, William Sterrett was:
PrincipalWoodbrook Elementary School
Charlottesville, VA
Biographical Information
Principal William Sterrett has fostered a community of collaboration, motivation and high expectations at Woodbrook Elementary School, a highly diverse Distinguished Title I School in Charlottesville, Virginia. Sterrett shares with colleagues his deep knowledge of instructional best practices and has implemented innovative strategies to enrich learning for all students. An advocate of assessment and effective data analysis, Sterrett worked with the district math specialist to design and implement math exit slips, which students complete several times a week to assess their level of learning. He and his staff then use the data from these slips to determine strategies for areas of need. Dr. Sterrett also introduced the Second Step character education program, visiting every homeroom with the guidance counselor to teach character lessons on a regular basis. Despite an increasing population of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, Sterrett's strategies have helped drive significant increases in test scores at Woodbrook, with students consistently achieving 90+ percent pass rates on the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments. Sterrett has served on division committees including the Calendar Committee, the Math Specialist Committee and Leadership Preparation and Transition. Dr. Sterrett has been published in numerous educational journals and has presented with his colleagues at several conferences. His innovative leadership helped Woodbrook earn a 2008 Governor's Board of Education VIP Excellence Award for meeting state and federal accountability benchmarks for two consecutive years. Sterrett earned his B.S. from Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
In 2010, Sterrett joined the faculty of the Watson School of Education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Sterrett is an Assistant Professor of Curriculum, Instruction, and Supervision.
