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JPS Names New Leadership at Five More Schools for the 2020-2021 School Year
June 11, 2020
Jackson Public Schools has assigned the administrators below to serve as instructional leaders for the 2020-2021 school year. Linda Murray, former award-winning principal of Barr Elementary and the 2018-2019 Administrator of the Year, will take over at Galloway Elementary. The remaining four appointees are all homegrown talent being promoted from assistant principal assignments to the principal role at their new buildings. Learn more about them by reading their summary biographies below.
Meet the New Principals
Sherekia Dixon, McLeod Elementary School
Sherekia Dixon |
Sherekia Dixon has been a part of the JPS family for 17 years. She previously served as an assistant principal at John Hopkins Elementary. The areas she supported included administration and supervision of the School Based Day Treatment Program, personnel, academic policy, and implementation of curricular standards. Her career in education began at Woodville Heights Elementary where she started as a third-grade teacher. During her tenure with JPS, she has served in the roles of classroom teacher, gifted teacher, interventionist, science subject area supervisor, professional development specialist, and assistant principal.
Mrs. Dixon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Tougaloo College. She also holds Master of Arts and Specialist degrees from Mississippi College. She received her Administration certification from the Mississippi Department of Education MAPQSL in 2009.
Terrance Hill, Green Elementary School
Terrance Hill |
Terrance Hill previously served as an assistant principal at Pecan Park Elementary School in JPS. The areas he supported included administration and supervision of personnel, school testing, parent and student relations, student discipline, and implementation of curricular standards. He began his career in education, as a fourth and fifth-grade math teacher at Woodville Heights Elementary School.
Mr. Hill holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Education from Jackson State University. He completed a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Mississippi College and a Specialist of Education in Instructional Leadership from William Carey University.
Tantaneshia Houston, Sykes Elementary School
Tantaneshia Houston |
Tantaneshia Houston previously served as an assistant principal at Boyd Elementary School in the Jackson Public School District. The areas she supported included the administration and supervision of personnel, academic policy, school testing, and implementation of curricular standards. Before coming to JPS, she was an assistant principal within the Louisville Municipal School District in Louisville, Mississippi, for seven years. Her career began in the Philadelphia Public School District in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where she taught second and fourth-grade students. Ms. Houston joined JPS in 2014 as an assistant principal at Timberlawn Elementary School. The following year she joined Sykes Elementary School to become the assistant principal. She is thrilled that she will continue to lead the team at Sykes for the 2020-2021 school year as Principal.
Ms. Houston holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Elementary Education from Alcorn State University. She earned an Education Specialist from Mississippi State University. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education degree at Belhaven University.
Ruthie Johnson, Kirksey Middle School
Ruthie Johnson |
Ruthie Johnson previously served as an assistant principal at Kirksey Middle School in JPS. The areas she supported included administration and supervision of personnel, academic policy, school testing, design and delivery of professional development, and implementation of curricular standards. Before serving as an assistant principal, Mrs. Johnson served JPS in the middle school division teaching mathematics at Brinkley Middle School and as a math coach at Rowan Middle School. She also served at the district level as an instructional specialist/lead teacher for middle school mathematics. In addition to her career in JPS, Mrs. Johnson was a trainer and the Professional Development Coordinator for the Southern Initiative of the Algebra Project where she trained and supported teachers in Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Mrs. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics with an emphasis in Computer Science from Tougaloo College. She earned the Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership and the Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from Mississippi College.
Linda Murray, Galloway Elementary
Linda Murray |
Linda Murray, was the principal of Barr Elementary School for more than five years. She was named the JPS Administrator of the Year in 2019 for her transformative leadership that reshaped the culture of the school and propelled its performance rating from a D to a B. Under her leadership, the school was also recognized as a Model PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) School by REACH Mississippi and for School Success by the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office. Over the course of Murray's 22-year career, she has served in Jackson Public Schools as a teacher assistant, teacher, literacy coach, instructional specialist, and building administrator. She was named the Teacher of the Year at Oak Forest Elementary in 2004 and was named Division Assistant Principal of the Year in 2013.
Mrs. Murray holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Jackson State University and Master of Education and Education Specialist degrees in Educational Leadership from Mississippi College. She is in the dissertation phase of a doctoral degree at Mississippi College.