CHICAGO — At its signature Principal Appreciation Month event on October 16, The Chicago Public Education Fund (The Fund) honored one elementary school principal and one high school principal with the Growth Leader Awards.
Principal Barton Dassinger of César E. Chávez Multicultural Academic Center won the Growth Leader in Elementary Schools Award. Principal Brian Kelly of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School won the Growth Leader in High Schools Award.
The organization announced the awards at its annual Principal Storytelling Evening on October 16 at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. Mayor Brandon Johnson and interim Chicago Public Schools Superintendent/CEO Dr. Macquline King delivered remarks at the event before four principals told inspiring stories from their careers as leaders. The event is part of the Principal Appreciation Campaign, a citywide effort led by The Fund that celebrates school leaders every October.
“The Fund celebrates Chicago’s public school principals year-round,” said Dr. Heather Y. Anichini, CEO of The Chicago Public Education Fund. “Since 2015, our October appreciation campaign has inspired a coalition of organizations and communities to recognize the essential role principals play in shaping school culture and accelerating student learning citywide.”
The awards celebrate principals who have achieved exemplary postpandemic growth in their schools. The Fund’s School Leader Celebrations Committee, which includes Chicago school leaders and members of community organizations, selected Dassinger and Kelly from a pool of finalists, four in each category:
Finalists for Growth Leader in Elementary Schools Award
- Barton Dassinger, Chávez Multicultural Academic Center
- Meghan Duffy, Audubon Elementary School
- Yalil Nieves, Peterson Elementary School
- Donnell Rader, Beasley Academic Center
Finalists for Growth Leader in High Schools Award
- William Hook, Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
- Paul J. Karafiol, Lake View High School
- Brian Kelly, King College Prep
- Jennifer Sutton, Von Steuben High School
The finalists were identified by assessing multi-year performance metrics for every public school in Chicago. Each finalist then submitted supporting materials and staff endorsements. The committee used a detailed rubric to carefully evaluate the submitted materials and school data. Important considerations included:
- Improvements in student attendance
- Growth in Illinois Assessment of Readiness scores for elementary schools
- Rising graduation rates for high schools
- Growth in the Effective Leaders rating on the 5Essentials Survey
Barton Dassinger has been the principal of Chávez Multicultural Academic Center for over 15 years and has 20 years of leadership experience in Chicago Public Schools. He recently received the Award of Excellence from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Under his leadership, Chávez earned the Exemplary School designation from ISBE in 2024, the highest tier in the state. Among the many data points that impressed the committee, Barton has significantly reduced kindergarten through eighth-grade chronic absenteeism at Chávez, lowering the percentage of students missing 18 or more days from 37% in 2022 to 6.3% in 2025.
“I felt overwhelmed with pride for our school community when I received this award,” said Principal Dassinger. “Our students’ outstanding growth is a result of their sustained hard work and that of their parents and all of our staff members.”
Dr. Brian Kelly is in his seventh year as principal of King College Prep, where he has expanded dual-credit access, strengthened supports for students with disabilities, and sustained high Freshman On-Track performance while increasing graduation rates. A 2025 Cahn Distinguished Fellow, 2024 Golden Apple Award recipient, 2023 ISBE Administrator of Excellence, Dr. Kelly also coaches leaders as the founder of Fullbody Leadership and mentors emerging principals through the Chicago Leadership Collaborative and the Golden Apple Foundation. In recent years, he has driven a 20% gain in ninth- and 10th-grade reading and math performance and increased seniors’ scholarship offers from $1.9 million to over $33 million, two of many outcomes that impressed the selection committee.
“I feel deep gratitude for our staff, students, and families. Their trust makes bold work possible, and this honor belongs to King College Prep,” Dr. Kelly said. “This award affirms that equity-driven, student-centered leadership changes lives, and I am proud of our Jaguars and the educators who make that promise real every day.”
“Chicago’s strongest principals are curious, committed leaders who use data to spot opportunities others might overlook,” said Dr. Anichini. “Barton, Brian, and all of this year’s Growth Leader Award finalists provide tangible examples of transforming numbers into stronger student experiences. At a time when we might be collectively struggling to find clear instances of what’s working, they show us what excellence looks like — constantly innovating to ensure students are in school and learning every day.”
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About the Principal Appreciation Campaign
For 10 years, The Fund has proudly led Chicago’s citywide Principal Appreciation Campaign, a collaborative effort with Chicago Public Schools, the city of Chicago, and valued partners like Aon, BMO, the Field Museum, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Intersection, Northern Trust, and William Blair. As part of Principal Appreciation Month every October, this campaign celebrates the exceptional work of Chicago’s school leaders and their positive impact on students, teachers, and communities.
About The Chicago Public Education Fund
The Chicago Public Education Fund (The Fund) is a nonprofit organization that improves Chicago’s public schools by investing in the talented educators who lead them. The Fund is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, underscoring its enduring commitment to collaborating with partners across Chicago’s education sector to redefine school leadership in the city.
Media Contact
Zach Jacobs
zjacobs@thefundchicago.org