June 18, 2024 -- LaMonica Davis, an educator with more than 30 years of experience, has been named Akron Public Schools inaugural Principal of the Year. Her remarkable journey in education has spanned decades, but it’s the last 10 years that have truly defined her legacy.

A Fitting Honoree

Akron Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Robinson expressed his admiration for Davis: “I cannot imagine a more fitting honoree for our very first Principal of the Year Award than Miss LaMonica. She embodies the finest qualities of an educational leader, and her dedication to our scholars is beyond

compare.”

Expectations and Excellence

Davis believes that education is both complex and straightforward. “It’s all about expectations,” she says. “We expect kids to be outstanding scholars. Our work is about helping them meet and exceed those expectations.”

The Journey at Helen Arnold CLC

As the founding principal of Helen Arnold Community Learning Center (CLC), Davis has dedicated nearly two decades to the school. In 2019, Helen Arnold CLC faced significant challenges, ranking in the bottom 5% of all Ohio schools based on state test scores. The school earned the label of a “priority school,” which brought both additional resources and increased state oversight.

Helen Arnold CLC has also provided training for staff on "teacher clarity," the communication between scholars and teachers about what they need to learn. It helps children understand the relevancy of what they are learning, to increase their engagement in school work.

Scholars' mental health is also a strong focus, with six social workers or counselors assigned to the building, one from Akron Public Schools and the others from Minority Behavioral Health and Red Oak Behavioral Health.

Shaking the Scarlet Letter

Davis’ determination has always been unwavering. She likened the priority designation to wearing a scarlet letter. Her mission: to lift her school out of the bottom 5%. Through important changes, including a strong embrace of phonics-based literacy strategies, Davis and her team transformed Helen Arnold CLC. Their commitment to meeting every child’s needs led to remarkable progress.

Supt. Robinson added, “LaMonica Davis’ impact on education serves as an inspiration to educators and scholars alike. Her leadership exemplifies the transformative power of dedicated educators in our community.”

“Being a school principal is a challenging job,” said Supt. Robinson. “Our team of educators who also lead our buildings must have a broad range of skills that go beyond just educational matters. They must be building leaders.”

Robinson added, “LaMonica Davis has shown us every facet of school leadership. We are proud to award her Principal of the Year.”

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