of Head the
Class P By Edwin Manuel Garcia
rincipal Jennifer Hackley is pulled in many directions each day to perform a demanding job while working with multiple stakeholders at Potomac Conference’s C. F. Richards Christian School in Staunton, Va. She makes on-the-spot decisions to keep the small school running smoothly, then spends half the day in the classroom teaching math and Bible, all while striving to maintain positive working relationships with teachers, staff members, administrators, pastors, the school board, constituent churches, parents and students. Being an education administrator in a Seventh-day Adventist school can be overwhelming; it’s no wonder the majority of principals last less than three years—a brief tenure that can prevent schools from accomplishing long-term goals or making meaningful academic improvements. To address this reality, the Columbia Union Conference Office of Education has spearheaded several initiatives to nurture current and future educational leaders. This includes subsidizing a certification program through Andrews University (Mich.) for principals and superintendents, with an emphasis in leadership. Union leaders also helped start the Advancement of Christian Education (ACE) Academy Leadership Coaching, a year-old initiative guided by seasoned outside experts connected to the union. Hackley is among 20 educational leaders with varying degrees of experience who are offered the tools and training to be successful, and, hopefully, will be motivated to stay at their jobs longer.
Coaches and Coachees: (back row) Jeanne Marie Fraino-Garcia, Elisa Maragoto, Darren Wilkins, Chris Simmons, Jennifer Hackley, Ruth Nino, Judie Rosa, Jacqueline Wheatley Messenger, H. Clifford Reynolds, III, Keith Hallam, Jerson Malaguit; (front row) Wendy Pega, Ellenor Paul-O’Neil, Celeste Giles, Valerie Green, Miya Kim, Beckie Carbaugh, Elyna Barnhill Howard 8 | VISITOR September 2019