Two outstanding Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) educators have been selected Washington-area Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year by The Washington Post, the first double win for LCPS since 2013. Kimberly Poole, a career Mustang at J.L. Simpson Middle School, has been selected as The Washington Post Teacher of the Year. Jeff Joseph, principal of Dominion Trail Elementary since 2013, has been named Principal of the Year.
“Kimberly Poole and Jeff Joseph represent the very best of LCPS — passionate, dedicated, and deeply committed to student success,” said Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence. “Their recognition by The Washington Post is not only a celebration of their individual excellence, but a testament to the power of strong relationships, innovative teaching, and compassionate leadership. We are incredibly proud of their impact on our students, our schools, and our community.”
Teacher of the Year, Kimberly Poole, works at the helm of the Simpson Middle School Career and Technical Education department, helping every 6th-grader study technology and integrating her students’ project-based learning with the dedicated Amazon Think BIG Space. She teaches Intro to Computer Applications and serves as the yearbook adviser. She’s spent 25 proud years at Simpson. Fellow teacher Lisa Hamilton emphasizes Mrs. Poole's personalized approach with students, fostering connections that nurture a deep sense of pride. “Kimberly gets to know her students so that they want to be successful and make her proud of their accomplishments.” Parent Ashley Townsend observes she is a fixture at Simpson, stating, “Mrs. Poole is such an amazing asset to our community. She's empowering tweens of this generation to do all the things she knows they're great at doing!”
Principal of the Year, Mr. Jeff Joseph, has been an educator and administrator at Loudoun County Public Schools for over 23 years. Mr. Joseph currently serves as principal of Dominion Trail Elementary School in Ashburn, VA, a role where he has fostered growth for the community over the past 10 years. “The biggest change he made was treating his staff as family, creating a trusting and loving environment,” described an educator. “He believes that when our basic needs are met, we are better able to focus on academics.” Mr. Joseph has a passion for building a strong, supportive learning environment where students’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being are vital — creating an opportunity for students “to realize their full potential,” observed a former student. “Reason 1,352 why we love our principal: I just witnessed Mr. Joseph running across the parking lot to give an umbrella to a child walking home without one,” recounts a parent during an unexpected downpour.
These two outstanding educators will be celebrated by their school communities in the coming weeks and will share their best practices with other LCPS educators and leaders throughout the year at professional development sessions. They will also be the guests on the LCPS Podcast on Thursday, April 24. Listeners can tune in on any major streaming platform through the LCPS podcast website.
The Washington Post established the Teacher of the Year Award to recognize teachers who exemplify excellence in their profession to encourage creative and quality instruction. The Washington Post Principal of the Year Award recognizes a principal who goes beyond the day-to-day demands of their position to create an exceptional educational environment. Through these awards, The Washington Post hopes to encourage excellence in school instruction and leadership and contribute in a substantive way to the improvement of education in the Washington metropolitan area.