RALEIGH — RALEIGH -- The Wake County school system named Brentwood Elementary School Principal Ken Branch as its 2012 Principal of the Year at a ceremony Thursday evening at Marbles Kids Museum.

Branch has held several leadership roles during his 33 years as an educator, including serving as head of Wake’s magnet school program and middle school program. He was the first principal of Centennial Campus Middle School before being chosen last year to run Brentwood, a magnet school located in North Raleigh.

Brentwood is part of Wake’s Renaissance Schools program, in which the district is using federal Race to the Top grant money to target underperforming schools with additional support. Wake used the money to replace most of the principals and staff at the targeted schools and offer signing bonuses, merit pay, additional technology and staff training.

“Dr. Branch is a dedicated educator who has a passion for seeing all students succeed,” temporary Superintendent Stephen Gainey wrote in a statement. “We are thrilled to honor him for all of his hard work and his focus on giving students strong foundations for college and careers.”

As Principal of the Year, Branch received a $1,000 award, and his school got a $500 award. He’ll enter the statewide principal of the year competition.

Also on Thursday, Ruth Ann Freeman of Bugg Elementary School in Raleigh was named Wake’s 2012 Assistant Principal of the Year.