SANFORD, NC - West Lee Middle School Principal Aimee Petrarca has been selected by her colleagues as the 2025-2026 Principal of the Year for Lee County Schools. Superintendent Dr. Chris Dossenbach made the surprise announcement during the 2025 Convocation at Lee County High School last week.
Petrarca has a proven track record of driving academic success and building systems on her campus that lead to sustained improvement. She has worked for over 25 years in Lee County Schools including the roles of classroom teacher, assistant principal and now principal of her third school in the district. She previously has served as the principal at Greenwood and W.B. Wicker Elementary Schools prior to taking over West Lee last year.
During his Convocation announcement, Dr. Dossenbach highlighted the heart of what makes Petrarca a great leader saying, “At the core of Aimee’s work is a deep belief that students are capable of remarkable things – especially when they’re challenged to rise to high expectations. She does not believe in lowering the bar to meet students; instead she and her team build the support systems needed to help students reach it – and often, go beyond it.”
With more than 25 years of experience, some leaders might have been content to ride out their career in a comfortable place with systems and teams they had crafted in place. When the opportunity to take on a new challenge at West Lee presented itself, Petrarca’s response was immediate, “All in.”
Beginning her second year at West Lee, you can already see her passion, precision, and purpose beginning to shape students and staff thanks to a laser focus on student data and a servant leadership style that grounds every decision in what is best for students. She and her team have pushed forward to apply for grants and opportunities to move the bar at West Lee, including earning the game-changing Golden LEAF Foundation Grant that will supply the school with more than $1 million in grant funding targeted towards the implementation of the Marzano High Reliability Schools Framework, math curriculum resources, instructional coaching and career development resources specifically tailored to West Lee.
“I think what makes this recognition so special,” added Dossenbach, “is that it comes from the people who know the work of this role the best – their fellow principals across the district.” He closed, “Our principals are the steady force behind every successful school. I am honored to recognize Aimee with this award as she exemplifies the best of what our principals bring to our local public schools in navigating challenges, championing innovation and creating environments where both children and adults can thrive.”
