Castleview Principal Dr. Julie Helton named OCPS Principal of the Year

Castleview Elementary School Principal Dr. Julie Helton was named Orange County Public Schools' Principal of the Year at the 2021-22 Stellar Awards, held Friday, April 8, at Rosen Shingle Creek.

The celebration included more than 450 honorees, 16 finalists and four winners of Teacher, Support Person, Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year. The honorees represented more than 205 schools and multiple district departments. 

"With experience working as an administrator at the district-level and as a principal at the school level, Dr. Helton has demonstrated academic success with elementary and secondary students for nearly 20 years," OCPS officials said in a prepared statement. "Not only has she shown great leadership with students and parents, but with her peers, as well. Dr. Helton has led a variety of trainings for principals and assistant principals, while also mentoring three principals this school year. In every school she has worked in, she has been highly regarded in her handling of difficult and high-pressure situations."

Helton earned a full scholarship to the University of Central Florida then earned a master’s scholarship through the Lockheed Martin/UCF Academy for Mathematics and Science. After earning her doctoral degree, Helton taught second grade at Durrance Elementary — now Sally Ride Elementary — from 1998 to 2004. She then served as curriculum resource teacher at West Creek Elementary from 2004 to 2005. 

Her district-level experience began as senior administrator in the Curriculum Services Department from 2005 to 2009. She continued as director of multilingual services until 2011, when she accepted the position of assistant principal at East River High School. 

Helton served as principal at Winegard Elementary and Eccleston Elementary before helping to plan and open Castleview Elementary in 2019. 

For more, read our October 2021 profile on Dr. Julie Helton.