Dr. Donna Kelley, principal of Northwood Elementary School, has been named the 2025 Florida National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal.
- The prestigious honor, established in 1984, recognizes outstanding elementary and middle-level principals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made a lasting impact on their schools and communities.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this recognition from the National Association of Elementary School Principals,” Kelley said. “From a young age, my passion for education has been a driving force in my life, a fact my sister Valerie fondly reminds me of to this day.”
Kelley expressed gratitude to her late parents, Roy and Nancy Kelley, “for their unwavering support and for providing me with the opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a teacher.”
- This national recognition follows local acclaim — Kelley was named Elementary Principal of the Year for Okaloosa County in 2022-2023 and again this year.
Superintendent Marcus Chambers praised Kelley’s leadership: “Dr. Donna Kelley is an exceptional leader who goes above and beyond to support her students, teachers, and school community. Her passion for education and dedication to excellence make her truly deserving of this recognition.”
Kelley also acknowledged her colleagues’ contributions to her success. “I would be remiss not to thank Team Okaloosa and especially the faculty and staff of Northwood Elementary for all the support I have been given over the years,” she said.
Kelley will be honored at the Florida Association of School Administrators Discover ’25 Conference and recognized by the NAESP in Washington, D.C., or at the UNITED Conference in Seattle in July.
