Osbourn Park principal wins 'Oscars of teaching' education award

At Osbourn Park High School on Tuesday morning, the marching band played, the choir sang, the Navy JROTC presented the colors, the step team danced, the elected officials assembled and, as he announced each group, principal Neil Beech had no idea the celebration was all for him.

The purpose of the assembly was to make the surprise announcement that Beech had been chosen as a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award winner.

Along with the prestige and surprise celebration, the award comes with a $25,000 prize.

“Obviously I’m very excited and very surprised,” Beech said after the announcement. “I’m not sure it’s sunk in yet.”

Beech said he was shocked that he was the one who received the award.

“There are a hundred people in this school who deserve this award,” he said. “I had no idea who the recipient would be.”

Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright and Milken Family Foundation Senior Vice President Jane Foley presented the award to Beech at the assembly.

“Neil Beech is an instructional leader who brings out the best in his students and teachers,” Wright said in a statement. “He is a pioneer in the areas of virtual instruction and teacher training; he has left his mark on every school where he has taught or led.”

Foley said the Milken awards, called “the Oscars of teaching,” were established in 1985 to recognize deserving teachers and principals throughout the country, Foley said.

“The message is about the critical role that teachers and principals play in our society,” Foley told students at the assembly. “At the Milken Family Foundation we believe educators have the most important job in American because they have the very important job of preparing you for the future.”

Beech is the 37th Virginia educator, and the fifth from Prince William County schools, to win the award since 1999 and the only one in the state to win this year. Past winners from Prince William County schools were Sharon Dravvorn from Woodbridge High School, who won in 2009, Amy Macaleer from Battlefield who won in 2007, Alexander B. Carter from Woodbridge High School who won in 2003 and Cynthia D. Baird from Brentsville District High School, who won in 2001.

Educators can’t apply for or be nominated for the award, but are instead sought out by a statewide panel.

Beech, who is originally from England and began his teaching career in the United States through the Visiting International Fellow program, began teaching in the county as a biology teacher at Brentsville District High School in 2001, where he developed the county’s first virtual earth science course, according to a news release from the Virginia Department of Education.

Beech came to Osbourn Park as a vice principal in 2007 and became principal in 2010. In his time at the school, participation in Advanced Placement courses has increased, officials said. The school has also seen improved English and mathematics performance among students with disabilities, state education officials said.

After receiving his award, Beech said that he felt “honored” to work at Osbourn Park.

“It’s a wonderful school and a wonderful community,” he said. “I’m very proud to be associated with it.”

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-530-3908.