The Golden Apple Foundation Honors Westmont High School Principal Jack Baldermann as 2022 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership Recipient

CHICAGO (May 12th, 2022) - The Golden Apple Foundation, the leading Illinois-based nonprofit committed to preparing, honoring and supporting exemplary educators who advance educational opportunities for students, today surprised Jack Baldermann, principal of Westmont High School in Westmont, with the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership, presented in honor of founding Golden Apple board member Stanley C. Golder. 

Following a highly competitive process, the 2022 leadership award recipients were selected from more than 100 nominations of Pre-K-12th grade school leaders. 

“School leaders like Jack Baldermann play a crucial role in shaping the success of students, teachers, and families in a school community,”  said Golden Apple President Alan Mather, the inaugural recipient of the Excellence in Leadership award. “His strong leadership and commitment to excellence creates an environment where every child can reach their fullest potential. We are honored to recognize his impact, and we are thrilled that he will join the Golden Apple Academy of Educators to recruit, train, and mentor the next generation of exceptional teachers.”

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. 

“Jack Baldermann has demonstrated resilience throughout his career by staying focused on supporting his teams in the interest of student growth, even through some of the most difficult of circumstances and times” said Alicia Winckler, Golden Apple CEO. “He has skillfully navigated an ever-changing educational environment while ensuring an inclusive approach to academic success of all students. We are grateful for his sustained commitment to preparing the next generation of Illinois’ students.”

About Jack Baldermann

For Baldermann, all the benefits of a great education — academic accomplishment, rigorous pedagogy and intellectual advancement — mean nothing if that education isn’t rooted in love, service and equity for all. That belief drives Baldermann to show up everyday as a principal committed to creating an unparalleled student and teacher learning environment. The leading equity and school culture author Dr. Anthony Muhammad attested to this fact, writing that “the gains made by Jack Baldermann and Westmont High School, especially for students of color and students of poverty, should be studied by scholars nationally and internationally as a beacon of hope for schools striving to produce equity.” 

Muhammad’s praise is backed by Westmont’s stunning graduation rates: 100 percent of Black and Latinx students have graduated in the past nine years, and the overall school graduation rate is 99 percent. Westmont also won the National Blue Ribbon Award and is listed as the most diverse high school with the highest poverty rate from Illinois to earn the award in the past two decades. Westmont also ranks number one in Illinois for regular schools for inclusivity, and is in the top one percent in the nation. 

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. 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.

The nomination period for the 2023 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & The nomination period for the 2023 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership is open. All are invited to nominate exceptional 4th-8th grade teachers and Pre-K-12th grade school leaders in Illinois at www.goldenapple.org/awards. 

Golden Apple’s social media channels will feature surprises for each of the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership recipients. Follow the news here: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn.

About The Golden Apple FoundationThe Golden Apple Foundation’s mission is to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence, especially in schools-of-need. Our leading-edge preparation delivers exceptional teachers who make an impact. We help students thrive in the classroom and in life. Since our beginning, we have recognized master educators annually; and, these master educators help prepare the next generation of teachers through both our Golden Apple Scholars (for undergraduates) and Golden Apple Accelerators (for career-changers) programs. Our vision is one in which every classroom has a great teacher and to realize this, we are committed to making a material difference in resolving the teacher shortage. Visit http://www.goldenapple.org for more information. 

Media contact:

John Arango
(847)754-1325
johna@theharbingergroup.com