Memphis
Craigmont Middle School
Mentor Principal: Reggie Jackson

“Being a New Leader means contributing to something bigger than myself. It means rolling up your sleeves and getting to work solving the problems in our educational system.”

James serves as a Resident at Craigmont Middle School (grades 6-8) under the guidance of Mentor Principal Reggie Jackson   Ninety-two percent of Craigmont’s 818 students are economically disadvantaged, with 89 percent African American, 7 percent Hispanic, and 3 percent white. James previously served as an English as Second Language teacher at another Memphis school. At his former school, he served on the School Leadership Team and chaired the Writing Committee, where he saw a 40 percent year-over-year gain in student writing achievement. James decided to pursue the path of school leadership because he believes that “it is wrong for good people to sit by and do nothing” when students are not achieving at the levels they are capable of.

So far James is enjoying his experience at his Residency site and is learning that “everything is not always as it seems.” He holds both a bachelor’s degree in English and Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Memphis. James is a Tennessee native and is married with three children.