Julie Jackson, associate managing director and principal of North Star Academy Charter School-Valisburg Elementary in Newark, is being honored as the “Charter School Administrator of the Year” at the New Jersey Charter Schools Association Annual Conference in Atlantic City, March 27-28.
The two-day conference, to be attended by more than 700 educators, parents and supporters of New Jersey’s growing charter school movement, will spotlight the many achievements of the state’s charter schools and feature discussions among state and national leaders about how charter schools are transforming public education.
Jackson was among a select group of charter school leaders to receive the Cultivating Quality Education Awards for their contributions during the 2011-2012 school year. The awards were judged by a panel of three independent education experts.
“It is my strong belief that every child in this country has the right to an excellent education,” Jackson said. “When I joined North Star 14 years ago as a math teacher, I knew I was in a place that was using its autonomy to innovate. Over the last decade and a half, my colleagues and I have felt fortunate to live the mission of charters by developing and utilizing proven methods in education and then sharing those practices with others. It's our hope that we continue to get to learn from and share what works as this movement grows.”
After teaching in Paterson as a Teach for America corps member and alumna, Jackson came to North Star in 1998 and rapidly grew from a teacher, to a middle school dean of students, to founding high school principal, to founding elementary school principal and finally, associate managing director. She has become one of the most well-known figures in the national education reform movement, and for good reason. She is featured in two recently published books on education reform and in two more still in development. Having set the standards in North Star’s curriculum, she hosts several workshops nationwide, teaching thousands of educators how to replicate her accomplishments in their own schools.
Also to be recognized at the conference as “Teacher of the Year” is Stephen Charles Dunn of Pride Academy Charter School in East Orange. Dr. Gloria Bonilla Santiago, founder of LEAP Academy University Charter School in Camden, will be recognized as “Advocate of the Year.”
About the New Jersey Charter Schools Association
The New Jersey Charter Schools Association (NJCSA) is a statewide association representing the state’s charter school sector. New Jersey is home to 80 charter schools, serving over 27,000 children. NJSCA was formed in 1999 and today is charged with advancing a quality public education for New Jersey’s children through quality public charter schools. Our vision is that every child in the State of New Jersey has the opportunity to attend a high quality public school that best meets his or her needs. www.njcharters.org-
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