Center Woods Elementary School Principal Jess Potter completed the three year Granite State Leadership Academy in mid-April. The Leadership Academy was created in a partnership with the New Hampshire School Administrators Association and the N.H. Department of Education to build highly skilled leadership capacity in the state.
“As a superintendent and in my position on the Executive Board of the of the N.H. School Administrators Association, I fully support participation in the Leadership Academy,” commented SAU 24 Superintendent Dr. Lorraine Tacconi-Moore. “Leadership roles in public education are complex positions. As a state, we need to grow the next generation of leaders; that’s why I support the program and applaud Jess for committing to the hard work and learning involved over the last three years,” continued Superintendent Tacconi-Moore.
“Dr. Carl Ladd, who is the Executive Director of the N.H. School Administrators Association, presented each of us with a lovely plaque recognizing our work as we completed the program,” said Potter. “Although our formal part of the academy has concluded, our cohort of administrators will continue to meet and we plan to advocate on an agreed upon issue facing education today and create goals to explore the topic. We also plan to support other cohorts of the Leadership Academy as they progress through the program,” said CWES Principal Jess Potter.
“The significance for Jess and SAU 24 is improved leadership skills, an enhanced network of colleagues statewide, and increased content knowledge in the areas of Finance, Special Education, Curriculum, School Law, Social-Emotional Learning, Technology, Legislative Affairs, Collective Bargaining, and Personnel,” said Executive Director of the N.H. School Administrators Association (NHSAA). “Additionally, Jess has had the opportunity to interact with numerous experienced superintendents who have shared their expertise and experience on a variety of topics over the past three years. She now has a broader view of education policy and systems-level thinking,” commented Dr. Ladd.
Potter has been principal at Center Woods Elementary School since 2011. Prior to being a principal, she served as the assistant principal at the Weare Middle School.