During a recent school event, Arainau “Rainy” Neal was named the recipient of the 2025 REB Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership, marking a milestone in her career at Maude Trevvett Elementary.

The award, presented annually by the Community Foundation and REB Foundation, honors one principal from the Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover school divisions, as well as one from Richmond. Neal’s achievement was celebrated during a school event March 14 attended by her colleagues, students, and representatives from Henrico County Public Schools

“It means so much to know that I’ve made a difference,” Neal said. “To know that you’ve impacted the lives of students and the community, it means so much.”

Neal will receive a $10,000 cash grant and $20,000 for school projects. The funds will support the expansion of the school’s “house” system, which assigns students to one of six houses based on the school’s core values and the six most prevalent languages spoken by students. The grant will fund a school-wide app for the house system, staff training, hallway murals for each house, communication tools and an ambassador program for welcoming new students, particularly those who are English language learners.

Susan Proffitt, principal of Holman Middle School, was named runner-up for the award. She will receive a $10,000 grant to establish the Huskie CARE Camp, designed for multilingual learners. The camp will include afternoon meetings, field trips and family dinners aimed at improving educational access and community engagement.

 Susan Proffitt, principal of Holman Middle School, is met by HCPS leaders on March 14 with the news that she was named HCPS’ REB leadership award runner-up.
 

The REB Award recognizes principals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, management and communication skills, while inspiring and advocating for their schools. Nominees must have served as principal for at least three years. 

Neal became principal at Maude Trevvett in 2020 after serving as associate principal and student support teacher at Charles M. Johnson Elementary School. She joined HCPS in 2014 as a teacher at George F. Baker Elementary School, following roles at Petersburg City and Richmond Public Schools. She holds a bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s in educational leadership from Virginia State University, as well as a post-baccalaureate certificate in autism spectrum disorders from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Under Neal’s leadership, Maude Trevvett’s student pass rate for SOL science tests increased from 67% to 89%. Neal is also taking a group of teachers to Arizona this month to explore a new initiative on teaching roles and staffing, with plans to pilot a similar program at Trevvett. She serves on multiple advisory committees, including the HCPS Principal Advisory Committee, and mentors aspiring educators as a VCU Clinical Faculty member.