Redwood School In West Orange Welcomes New Principal

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Kimya Jackson has been named as the new principal of Redwood Elementary School, officials announced.

According to a statement from district administrators, Jackson has been part of the Redwood staff since 2004, working as a second-grade teacher until 2019 when she received her appointment to assistant principal at Redwood and to Washington Elementary School in 2020.

She is currently pursuing a doctorate in teacher education and teacher development at Montclair State University.

“Education chose me,” Jackson said when asked why she entered the field.

“I initially began my studies in physical therapy,” Jackson continued. “However, having my son changed my life and professional path. I volunteered at his daycare center and was told I was a ‘natural.’ I began taking classes in early childhood education and found I truly enjoyed them. The classes guided my parenting and path to teaching.”

“I enjoyed so many things about working in the classroom,” Jackson added.

And like all the best educators, she also learns from her students, as well. Jackson said that at Redwood school, her students have taught her languages, perspectives, cultures, and most of all, “patience and understanding.”

However, Jackson eventually decided to move into administration to “do more for the students.”

“As an administrator, I have the opportunity to guide my students beyond one grade,” she said. “For instance, during COVID my past students have emailed me their work and have asked for my opinion and input. As a second-grade teacher, my students would stop by to visit but they never asked for academic guidance.”

“As an administrator it feels as if they trust that I am knowledgeable beyond second grade,” she joked.

Jackson said she has long and short-term goals for Redwood.

“My short-term goal is to safely close the school year to begin planning for September,” she said. “My long-term goal is to continue to cultivate an inclusive and inviting environment where all stakeholders succeed academically, socially and emotionally.”

As public schools move out of hybrids and cohorts and back in to a full-day schedule, Jackson sees elementary education in a continued progressive overhaul.

“Just last year before the pandemic, we saw technology being used on various occasions,” she said. “Young children were barely able to stroke the keys on keyboards to create words or sentences within a class period. Now, technology has become second nature not only to the students but teachers as well.”

“I see us staying on a progressive path where hybrid becomes the norm, and possibly used as a method to address the social needs of the students,” Jackson said. “I would like to see us poll students and hear student voices as it pertains to our current learning environment, then use their voice to lead reopening in September.”

For many years Redwood’s motto was “the school with HEART.” But Jackson and former principal Timothy Beaumont have developed a new motto, “The School That Cares.”

Jackson’s vision for the school is that and more, administrators said.

“My vision for Redwood is to continue to build an inclusive community where all stakeholders feel and know they matter,” Jackson concluded.

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