Tag: Tuckaseegee Elementary

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Friday named its 2025-26 Principal of the Year: LaTresha Wilson, principal of Tuckaseegee Elementary School in west Charlotte.

Wilson walked into Tuckaseegee’s packed gym Friday morning to a crowd of cheering students. A collection of her family members, bosses and mentors stood onstage, flanking a red, black and gold balloon backdrop. Students waved pompoms also in the school’s signature black and red as Wilson jumped for joy. Literally.

Meanwhile, staff held signs reading “Principal Wilson wins!” and “Principal Wilson shines!” bordered with sunflowers — the kind of flowers Wilson’s sister has bought her each year since she became a principal.

“I know that I live and I breathe being a principal and pouring into these kids every day, so it means so much to me,” Wilson told The Charlotte Observer after Friday’s reveal. “The heart and the dedication that I put into it, I know that it’s unmatched.”

Wilson was nominated by her peers and selected as one of 11 finalists, one from each of CMS’ performance areas. A committee of leaders from around the district interviewed finalists and ultimately selected Wilson for the honor.

She’s in her third year as principal of Tuckaseegee Elementary School, after previously serving as assistant principal at Paw Creek Elementary School. Over the last two years, Tuckaseegee’s school performance grade from the state has improved from a D to a B under Wilson’s leadership.

Wilson in large part credits her staff and her students for the school’s progress. Tuckaseegee is one of the district’s Title I schools, meaning it has a high proportion of low-income students, and Wilson said students are “shattering stereotypes.”

“Kids are growing. Kids are just becoming just the better versions of themselves,” she said. “Whatever people say, we’re going beyond that. We want to make sure that we’re speaking that into the air, and that kids are seeing it and they’re believing it.”

Tuckaseegee is not done climbing, Wilson said. The school’s theme for this school year is “Level Up: Pushing Past the Possible,” and she already has plans for next school year.

“Next year’s theme is ‘All Gas, No Brakes,’” Wilson said.

Danielle Belton is the principal of Paw Creek Elementary, where Wilson previously worked as an assistant principal. The two first met 13 years ago at Tuckaseegee Elementary, where Belton was assistant principal at the time and Wilson was a facilitator. Belton knows something about what it takes to effectively lead a school: she was named the CMS Principal of the Year for the 2022-23 school year.

“Her heart is in all that she does. She truly leads with love,” Belton said of Wilson at Friday’s surprise. “And she is very data-driven in her approach to making sure that every single kid gets exactly what they need. So today, I’m just filled with joy to celebrate her, because there’s no one more deserving than her.”

As the winner, Wilson is entered into the running for statewide The Wells Fargo Principal of the Year Award, which was introduced in 1984 to recognize the role of the principal in establishing an environment conducive to the pursuit and achievement of academic excellence in North Carolina’s schools. The statewide winner will be announced in May.

Other CMS 2025-26 Principal of the Year finalists include:

• Stephanie Hood, North Mecklenburg High School
• Marc Angerer, South Mecklenburg High School
• Erik Turner, Central Piedmont Early College
• Toni Perry, Albemarle Road Middle School
• Patrice McCauley, Wilson STEM Academy
• Christy McCauley, Hawk Ridge Elementary School
• Frederick Mohrien, Mint Hill Elementary School
• Wendy Harris, Lincoln Heights Montessori School
• Kiesha Pride, Westerly Hills Academy
• Beth Marshall, Druid Hills Academy

This story was originally published October 3, 2025 at 11:33 AM.