May 15, 2024 - During its May 14 meeting, the School Board of the City of Manassas named Dakota Jackson as the upcoming principal of Baldwin Intermediate School. She will succeed Juliet Finnegan, who was recently appointed principal of Metz Middle School. Jackson will begin her new position on July 1.
Jackson began teaching in 2012 as a middle school English/Language Arts teacher in Maryland. After gaining additional certification in Special Education, she began teaching English in self-contained and inclusion classes to high school students.
In 2016, Jackson relocated to Virginia and joined Prince William County Schools, where she continued to teach English. In 2019, she transitioned into her first administrative role, serving as assistant principal at Forest Park High School and then as assistant principal at Ronald W. Reagan Middle School.
Throughout this academic year, Jackson has played a pivotal role as a collaborator in the Manassas City Public Schools Mentoring and Professional Growth Supports program, where her duties include coaching and mentoring teachers within the division. Additionally, she has assumed the position of Integrated Honors Research Teacher at Metz Middle School.
Jackson is a passionate and innovative educator with a proven track record of implementing dynamic teaching strategies to engage and challenge students. She is especially skilled in fostering critical thinking and promoting academic growth among all populations of learners and ability levels. Jackson states that she is dedicated to coaching and mentoring teachers to help students achieve academic success and develop a deep understanding of the world around them.
Jackson graduated with honors from Coastal Carolina University, earning a bachelor's degree in English, followed by a master's degree in education from The Johns Hopkins University. She obtained an education specialist degree with K-12 Administration and Supervision certification from Old Dominion University. Jackson has been accepted into a doctoral program at the University of Southern California, where she will embark on a journey towards a doctorate in educational leadership in the upcoming fall term.