Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) has announced that its Human Resources Department received two national honors from the American Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA). The awards recognize the department’s efforts in promoting a culture of belonging and implementing innovative digital outreach strategies.
According to PWCS, the Human Resources Department was awarded the William L. Hunter Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award by AASPA. This accolade acknowledges initiatives focused on teacher development programs aimed at increasing the number of teachers of color within the district. These programs strive to create a more inclusive workforce, enhance professional growth opportunities, and support equitable practices across schools. The award underscores PWCS HR’s dedication to fostering diversity and promoting equity.
Additionally, PWCS received the HR Digital Branding Development Award for its “You Belong Here” campaign. This initiative effectively utilized digital platforms, social media, media outreach, and official branding to communicate HR initiatives and engage both current and prospective employees. The campaign emphasized recruitment and retention while enhancing the school division’s overall HR brand. Its success was attributed to collaboration with the Communications Department.
“Our Human Resources Department leads with purpose, intention, and a clear vision for our workforce,” said Dr. Donna Eagle, chief human resources officer at PWCS. Eagle said that their strategy not only expands their teacher and employee pipeline but also reflects values of equity and inclusivity.
PWCS is Virginia’s second-largest school division and ranks 32nd nationally in size, serving over 90,000 students across various educational programs. It offers a wide range of academic specialty programs including Governor’s Schools, dual enrollment courses, Advanced Placement classes, Cambridge Programme courses, International Baccalaureate courses, career certifications in technology fields, robotics education, and instruction in ten world languages. The division emphasizes sustainability and family engagement with support for 174 languages. Under Superintendent Dr. LaTanya D. McDade’s leadership, PWCS reports a 94.3% on-time graduation rate and over $123 million in scholarships for the class of 2024.
