Angela M. Jenifer, M.Ed

My career in education has been extremely rewarding.  I have worked in many roles throughout my career and continue to strive to remain current in an ever-changing industry. My career as an educator includes roles in elementary and secondary instruction as well as central and building administration in Georgia and Virginia.  My journey has made me resolute about using my experience, knowledge, and skills to not only further my personal growth and development but continue to effectively impact the lives of students.     

 

As an Assistant Principal of eight years, I have had the pleasure and opportunity to learn from two highly effective, and stylistically different principals:  Dr. Donna Jackson, and currently, Dr. William Greene.  Under their leadership, I have been able to learn and observe many tenets of leadership including the attributes of an impactful principal.  The examples they model (e.g., work ethic, school management, parent interaction, integrity, etc.) and the support they provide have informed my decision to move forward in my career as an educator. 

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I believe that every administrator should have a core set of values that guide and inform decisions. These values have served me well and I often refer to them when I have tough decisions to make in my current position. Over time, my values have evolved because of my different experiences throughout my career. As I seek new opportunities in education, I know that my core values will serve as a foundation for this journey and will grow as I grow as a leader in education.

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Students must always be the primary reason that decisions are made.   It is easy to focus on day-to-day responsibilities, school budgets, and much more. I know that as a Principal, I am responsible for many things, but students and their success must come first. I am constantly reminded of my experience as a teacher of music, math, and language arts when I interface with the instructors on my campus. With experience in these teacher roles, I understand the benefits of being well-rounded. As an educator, I will always advocate for STEAM environments so that students may have a variety of experiences. As a nineteen (19) year employee of Clayton County Schools, I have witnessed students in our community greatly benefit from unique experiences, which will make them more globally competitive.

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The academic success of students is vital!  As an educator, I want to ensure the academic success of all students.  Numbers tell a portion of the successes and challenges of a school.  I am experienced in creating and implementing systems that impact instructional decisions to effectuate desired results.  Having knowledge of the demographics of the school, how subgroup data impacts the overall CCRPI score, student growth measures, student achievement, and other measures all impact how a school performs.  In my current role, and in prior roles as a District Data Analyst and Instructional Math Coach, I have learned that systemic and sustainable instructional and assessment practices are what help make a school successful.  I have created formative assessment plans, in-school remediation plans, led professional development in co-teaching, and led data analysis for teachers and principals. ‘Teamwork makes the dream work!’ Even with my vast experiences, I realize that success is a team effort! And I believe it is my responsibility to cultivate the leadership attributes of faculty and staff members. In order to make progress, employees must see the leader working with them. It is required that the leader has team players who align with the vision of the leader. 

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Leadership is more than telling people what to do!  As an administrator and organizational leader, I must see the big picture in every decision that is made.  In my current role, I have made recommendations to my principals such as faculty and staff assignments based on enrollment and data from assessments, surveys, and teacher evaluations.  I have a deep understanding of the master scheduling process and I am determined to make the best decisions that positively impact students. As a leader, you must be clear and concise with expectations such as custodial scheduling, duty expectations, and creative collaborative planning schedules.  In my current role, I have been trusted by my superiors to make such decisions and I believe that I am equipped to manage the organization of the school that I lead.

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Building relationships, communication, and providing support to stakeholders is paramount! Faculty and staff members must know that you have a caring spirit and that you are supportive.  Parents must know that you are visible and supportive of them and their children.  Students must know that you love them and care about their well-being.  We have numerous students who come to us with unimaginable situations.  School is a haven for them, and we want our faculty and staff to be positive role models for students.   My current leader, Dr. Greene possesses these qualities and has been an exemplary example of how one leader can change the school culture due to relationship building.  I am always excited to see how building relationships impact the successes of Jackson Elementary.  I seek more opportunities in education so that I can empower and motivate others to want to be part of a winning team.

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I value seeing positive outcomes for our students and families in Clayton County.  My career has been full of continuous learning and growth.  The rewards outweigh the challenges I have faced in my twenty-four (24) years as an educator.  My continued vision as a school leader aligns with the vision of Clayton County Public Schools. 

 

My vision is to lead in a way that inspires educators and professionals to make a meaningful and lasting impact on academic achievement, equipping all students to thrive and compete successfully in a global society.