Liberty Elementary School Principal George Peterson has won the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership. In October, the U.S. Department of Education announced that Peterson is one of 10 principals nationwide to win the award. “Peterson is a confident and compassionate leader,” said state Superintendent Tony Thurmond, in a press release. “When he became principal of Liberty Elementary School 12 years ago, one of his first priorities was to establish a caring, relational administration style with a shared leadership model. He meets regularly with both teachers and students — a great way to build trust and have enthusiastic staff and successful students.” Under Peterson’s guidance, the school became one of the first in the district to use Flexible Seating to facilitate student collaboration. The move toward student-centered learning inspired the school’s “Collaboratory,” located in the hub of the school, which serves as a model of individualized instruction, research, and student participation. Principal Petersen supported teachers as they experimented with this idea, which in turn, allowed students to take risks and pursue opportunities specific to their interests. Named for the second U.S. Secretary of Education, the Bell Award honors school leaders who are committed to education as a powerful and liberating force in people’s lives. The award is part of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.