District 33C Principal Named Golden Apple Finalist

HOMER GLEN, IL — A District 33C principal has been selected as a finalist for the Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Leadership. Melissa Onesto, the principal at William J. Butler Elementary School, is one of nine finalists for the award, a release from Golden Apple states.

The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership honors exemplary performance in school leadership by a principal or head of school who has had a significant and sustained positive impact on the school, created a culture of inclusivity, and delivered dramatic student growth, according to a release.

The competitive award process resulted in the selection of nine Pre-K-12th grade finalists from a record-setting 121 nominations, the organization said.

Onesto began teaching special education 20 years ago, and has been principal at Butler for six years, according to a release. Onesta is a strong proponent of early intervention and addressing reading needs early, in partnership with families, to help develop executive functioning skills in all students. She encourages teachers and staff to form close bonds with families and has seen increased involvement and better understanding among the culturally-diverse families of the school, a release states.

“The school leaders we are recognizing today have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to supporting the teachers and students in their building - whether in person or virtually - as we collectively navigate a challenging environment,” said Alan Mather, President of Golden Apple and the first recipient of the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership. “Their leadership, resilience, and commitment to the success of their school communities, especially during a turbulent year of racial reckoning and the global pandemic, has allowed them to continue to prepare students for future success. We are honored to recognize these finalists who remain committed to everyone they serve.”

"Golden Apple recognizes that systems change and excellence is set by the leader,” Alicia Winckler, Golden Apple CEO, said in a release. “The school leaders we are recognizing today are transformative and have demonstrated their resilience throughout this tumultuous year - focusing not only on students outcomes and the revered teachers who get it done - but engage and are integral to the communities that they serve.”

The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership recipients receive a cash award of $10,000, with $5,000 for the school leader and $5,000 to the school for a project of the recipient’s choosing, according to a release. Award recipients become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a community of educators who play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs - which are dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois, a release states.