
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel A. Cardona today announced the recipients of the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership for 2022. The School Town of Munster’s very own, Mrs. Linda Bevil – Principal of Eads Elementary School has been selected as one of nine 2022 recipients of the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership. This special, personal award was presented to Mrs. Bevil at the National Blue Ribbon Schools ceremony on Thursday, November 3.

Linda Bevil shared, “I am honored to receive this national award and meet with leaders from other Blue Ribbon Schools. I feel like the award is a reflection of what my staff does to support and care for our students every single day.”
Superintendent, Bret Heller stated, “We congratulate Mrs. Bevil on this much deserved honor. Leadership and Culture are intertwined at Eads. Linda empowers her staff, and her students to be leaders, and to take ownership of the culture and success of their school. Her dedication to making Eads a place where everyone belongs, and where all students can learn at high levels is worthy of celebration.”

The U.S. Department of Education, together with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the Association for Middle Level Education, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, present the Bell Awards to principals of National Blue Ribbon Schools for their outstanding work and the vital role they play in guiding their students and schools to excellence, frequently under challenging circumstances.
The Bell Award honors school leaders who are committed to education as a powerful and liberating force in people’s lives. Principals are nominated by their school communities during the final stages of the National Blue Ribbon Schools application process.

“As a former principal, I understand the vital role school leaders play in shaping school culture and welcoming learning environments, improving student achievement outcomes, and empowering teachers to meet the needs of their students,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The nine school leaders receiving this year’s Terrel Bell awards have raised the bar for building positive school climates, increasing achievement, and finding creative ways to nurture, engage, and support students, families, educators, and school staff. At a time when principals and other school leaders face many challenges, from addressing students’ unmet mental health needs to accelerating their academic recovery from the pandemic, the Department of Education is proud to recognize the essential work they do each day.”
The 2022 recipients are:
AL – Piedmont * Brigett Stewart * Piedmont Elementary School
CA – Cerritos * Miguel Marco * Wittmann (Helen) Elementary School
FL - Fort Lauderdale * Denise Aloma * Saint Thomas Aquinas High School
IN - Munster * Linda Bevil * James B. Eads Elementary School
KS - Sedgwick * Julie Scott * R.L. Wright Elementary School
LA - Lafayette * Catherine Bricelj * Myrtle Place Elementary School
MN - Rochester * James Sonju * Lincoln K-8 School
OK - Checotah * Ryan Ambrose * Checotah Intermediate Elementary School
VA - Fairfax * Mahri Aste ^ Mosaic Elementary School
Visit the website to learn more about the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program and the Terrel H. Bell Awards.