Tawauna Stewart of Rogers-Herr Middle is Durham Public Schools' 2026-27 Principal of the Year. 98% of survey respondents call her school a good place to work.

Tawauna Stewart, principal of Rogers-Herr Middle School, is Durham Public Schools’ 2026-27 Principal of the Year. The district announced the award Monday.

Superintendent Anthony Lewis said Rogers-Herr has remained one of the district’s highest performing middle schools under Stewart. He also pointed to the state’s Teacher Working Conditions survey. In it, 98% of respondents identified Rogers-Herr as a good place to work and learn, the district said.

“These results reflect her ability to establish high expectations while fostering an environment where educators feel supported, valued, and empowered,” Lewis said.

How she runs the school

Stewart uses what the district calls a “Great 8” framework. It pulls the school’s instructional work under one structure, including:

  • professional learning communities
  • data-driven instruction
  • professional development
  • whole-child support
  • family engagement
  • school culture

“Rather than allowing programs to run in silos, the Great 8 gives our entire staff a shared language and a clear set of expectations for high-quality teaching and learning,” Stewart said. She said it means daily classroom work challenges students while meeting them at their own skill levels.

The district described her approach as shared leadership, a culture of trust and “compassionate accountability.”

Rogers-Herr by the numbers

Rogers-Herr is a year-round magnet middle school for grades 6 to 8 at 911 Cornwallis Road. It has no neighborhood attendance zone; families apply through the district’s lottery.

From the state’s records:

  • School grade: a B, with a score of 73, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades, up from a C (68) in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
  • Growth: the school exceeded expected growth in both of those years.
  • Students: an average daily membership of 658 in 2024-25, up from 626 the year before.
  • 2025-26 state tests: 70.8% of tests were at grade level or above, against 59.2% statewide, according to the state’s 2025-26 assessment data.

Of the nine middle schools in our guide to Durham public schools, only Lakewood Montessori Middle had a higher 2024-25 score, an A (86).

What it means for you

  • Thinking about Rogers-Herr for your child? It is a choice school, so there is no zone to check. Our Rogers-Herr Middle page has the report card, the year-round calendar and how admission works.
  • See the school in person. DPS holds its Showcase of Schools, with every school represented, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Northern High School, 4622 N. Roxboro Road, according to the district.
  • Lottery timing: for 2026-27 the application window ran Jan. 5 to Jan. 30, according to the district’s lottery page. Check there for next year’s dates.
  • More on district calendars, enrollment and the school board is in our Durham schools guide.