McKinney, Texas – In September, McKinney ISD announced that Cockrill Middle School Principal Dr. Amber Epperson had been selected as the 2022 Region 10 Outstanding Principal of the Year by the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP).

Now, TASSP has chosen Epperson as their 2022 Texas Middle School Principal of the Year.

“I am honored to represent the outstanding middle school principals across the state of Texas,” Epperson said. “This recognition is validation of the work I had led alongside very talented teams of people who are invested in positively impacting the lives of young people in our communities. I have been afforded many incredible opportunities in my career, and this recognition is a pinnacle experience in my career as a building principal.”

MISD Deputy Superintendent Dr. Melinda DeFelice was confident when she left the principal job at Cockrill eight years ago to serve as a district administrator that the school was in good hands with Epperson at the helm. “Amber is an amazing educator and leader, and I am so proud of the work that she has done at Cockrill,” said DeFelice. “She totally deserves this recognition.”

During Epperson’s time at Cockrill, the campus that has been named a Texas School to Watch three times by TASSP (in 2015, 2018 and 2021) and last year was one of only 50 middle schools in Texas to achieve that designation. In addition to the recognition from TASSP, the counseling department at Cockrill earned the prestigious CREST Award last year from the Texas School Counselor Association for their outstanding comprehensive counseling program.

In an interview in September, Epperson said that her focus is on making the three years that students spend at Cockrill a great experience, to help them excel both in and out of the classroom and to help them develop a vision that carries them forward.

“My colleagues and I are passionate about creating wonderful places for all students to learn, where teachers are happy and thrive in their work, and where parents and the community feel a sense of pride and investment in our schools,” Epperson said. “This recognition has given me a treasured opportunity to reflect on my experiences in this role and the truly talented, dedicated people I have had the fortune to work with in my career. McKinney ISD has supported my efforts as a school leader through intentional steps to develop my leadership to this point. I am very grateful for this recognition and truly proud to be part of McKinney ISD.”

Each of the Texas winners (High School Principal, Middle School Principal and Assistant Principal) will be recognized during the Josten’s Night of the Stars Awards Dinner held in conjunction with the TASSP Summer Workshop held each year in June. Each will be presented with an award and recognized in a commemorative book entitled Texas Principals, Texas Heroes.

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