Blue Ridge High School’s Ashley Wardlaw Named 2026 SC Secondary Principal of the Year
The South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA) has named Principal Ashley Wardlaw the 2026 South Carolina Secondary Principal of the Year. Mrs. Wardlaw is the principal at Blue Ridge High School.
“She has earned a reputation for building authentic connections across her entire school community by developing relationships with students and creating structures like RidgeNation, a program that unites incoming students coming from feeder elementary schools around shared purpose and facilitates collaboration between middle and secondary educators to improve instructional coherence,” said Dr. Quincie Moore, Executive Director of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators. “Mrs. Wardlaw works alongside her teachers to establish collaborative systems and data-driven practices that builds an expectation of excellence for every learner at Blue Ridge High School.”
Students, staff, district administration, the GCS Board of Trustees, and Principal Wardlaw’s family gathered for the surprise announcement at the high school this morning. Three outstanding South Carolina principals each year -- one each at the elementary, middle, and high school levels -- are selected for this honor. Mrs. Wardlaw was selected from an outstanding field of administrator candidates by a veteran panel of judges. The criteria used in the selection of this award are set by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and includes a rigorous process of nomination, peer reviews, and interviews.
“What a tremendous and well-deserved recognition of Principal Wardlaw’s leadership and dedication to the students, staff and community of Blue Ridge High school,” said Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster. “Her commitment to creating a positive learning environment and culture of student success is evident in the many achievements Blue Ridge High has experienced under her leadership.”
During her time as principal, the school has experienced record growth and performance as evidenced by increasing the graduation rate from 84% in 2024 to 91.8% in 2025 and receiving its first Excellent Report Card rating in the modern accountability era. Earlier this year, Blue Ridge High School was recognized at the Superintendent’s Academic Achievement Awards for achieving the Overall Highest Academic Performance Among High Schools, the Overall Highest Academic Growth Among High School and was named among the top 10% of schools with the highest performance in Biology, Algebra 1 and English 2, and the top 10% of schools with the highest growth in Biology, Algebra 1 and English 2.
“Ashley Wardlaw’s recognition as the SCASA Principal of the Year is a testament not only to her exceptional leadership, but also to the roots that shaped her,” said Eric Williams, GCS Assistant Superintendent Secondary School Leadership. “As a proud product of Blue Ridge High School, she leads with fierce determination to ensure every student succeeds and reaches their fullest potential. As principal, she continues to demonstrate consistently strong student, parent, and faculty climate ratings on both the state report card and the district’s Upbeat survey. She is also one of the founding principals of ‘Ridge Nation,’ a school–community partnership dedicated to building pride and support for public education in Northern Greenville County. She cares deeply for her staff and students, and her compassion, integrity, and unwavering commitment make her an extraordinary leader.”
SCASA, the professional organization for school leaders in South Carolina, has more than 4,500 members. From professional development opportunities and research to publications and legislative advocacy, SCASA’s focus is to support school leaders in providing the best possible education for South Carolina’s young people. As a state affiliate of three national associations for school leaders, SCASA also works on the national level.
