NEW MMS PRINCIPAL'S "PRIMARY GOAL" IS GREAT EDUCATION FOR EVERY STUDENT

Recently installed Maplewood Middle School principal Jerrill Adams released this letter to parents Tuesday:

September 30, 2014

Greetings Parents and Families of Maplewood Middle School (MMS):

My name is Jerrill Adams and I’m extremely happy to join the staff of MMS as the new Principal. I’m very passionate about education and I look forward topartnering with you to provide our students with a rigorous, engaging, and

high-quality middle school experience. As the parent of two boys ages 4 and 7, I

recognize the importance of a strong home-school connection. Parents are every

child's first teacher and I believe that by working together, we can make sure

your child's social, emotional, and academic needs are met.

Before joining MMS, I served in a variety of teaching and educational leadership

roles over the past 12 years, primarily with the NYC Department of Education.

Some of the roles I have held include classroom teacher, literacy coach/staff

developer, K-8 assistant principal, school improvement administrator, and senior

network team manager for the NYCDOE central office. My academic background

includes a Master of Arts in Speech Communication, a Master of Science in

Childhood Education, a Bachelor of Science in Television-Radio, and a

Certificate of Advance Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership and

Administration.

I believe that great schools are the results of great teachers, so my primary

objective will be to ensure that every student is receiving high-quality

instruction from every teacher at MMS. In order to do this, I will be providing

teachers with feedback on their instruction, access to professional development,

and reaching out to parents for support with academic and behavioral concerns to

ensure our students are prepared for college and 21st century careers.

I will be working closely with our Assistant Principals, Mr. Brown and Mr. Gold,

to guarantee that all of our scholars are intellectually challenged and have

access to the social and emotional support critical to students during the

middle school needs. Please get involved with the Home and School Association

(HSA) to ensure that your voices are heard or send me an email directly at

jadams@somsd.k12.nj.us.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve your families in this role! Please do not

hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas you

would like to share.

Sincerely,

Jerrill M. Adams