Dorinda White, principal at Rainbow Elementary School, now holds the title of “‘Alabama PTA Principal of the Year.” (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Dorinda White, Rainbow Elementary School principal, was named “‘Alabama PTA Principal of the Year ” at the 2015 Alabama State PTA Convention.

Before the Montgomery convention on April 24-26, Rainbow PTA members told White about her honor. “It was very hard holding such an incredible secret. I was totally caught off guard. I shed a few tears. We gave each other hugs,” White said.

“I continue to be very humbled, honored and surprised. I have an incredible PTA. We work well together to try new ideas to support” student families, White said.

The convention also recognized Rainbow as the first Alabama school named “PTA National School of Excellence”. Last August, Alabama State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tommy Bice visited Rainbow’s award celebration.

White has worked as Rainbow’s principal eight years and previously was assistant principal 3.5 years. She also taught fourth-graders in Huntsville, in a Chicago suburb and first-graders in eastern Kentucky.

White is pleased with Rainbow’s “Rocket Time” for small-group math or reading instruction with tutors and teachers. Also, White and PTA members collaborated for Rainbow’s school-wide enrichment program, allowing teachers to train while students attend enrichment study.

“One of the proudest achievements this year has been opening Madison City Schools First Class Pre-Kindergarten Center. I’m a firm believer in early childhood education. Being instrumental in helping with facility acquisition, employing faculty/staff and housing over 120 four-year-olds has been extremely rewarding,” White said.

Her fourth-grade teacher, Ms. McCarthy, helped White build her self-confidence. “She understood the need to develop a relationship with students and to have students create projects to learn concepts rather than worksheets,” White said. “Being the middle child of a family in poverty, I developed a lifelong love of learning and the academic environment.”

White earned bachelor degrees at Kentucky Christian and Morehead State universities, a master’s degree at Roosevelt University and administration certification at the University of Alabama.

Her husband Michael works as a product engineer for Nextek Inc. Their son Nolan attends Athens State University.