Thank you for supporting great principals

One such leader is Najib Jammal, Principal of Lakeland Elementary Middle School in Baltimore. Najib arrived as principal in 2010 to work with a student body that is 90% students of color and 94% from low-income families. Despite the challenges, he recognized the potential of a strong staff and parents who wanted to be more involved with their children’s education.

From the outset, Najib created a new vision for Lakeland and began to put structures in place to develop a proud community of learners focused on constant growth. Najib prioritized raising both academic achievement and the quality of extracurricular offerings at Lakeland – starting a debate league, 2 robotics teams and a science and technology-focused after-school program for all grade levels. He has developed strong relationships with community partners such as the University of Maryland Baltimore County, which provides support to Lakeland through professional development for teachers, behavioral support for at-risk students, and volunteers to engage parents and the community.

Najib has also built a school leadership team that is entirely New-Leaders trained. Their collective efforts have resulted in high achievement for students: this year, Lakeland was in the top-gaining 5% of all elementary and middle schools in Maryland.

Every student in Baltimore deserves a Najib in his or her school. New Leaders is committed to the belief that supporting education is the most important thing we can do for our children and for our country–and that making sure every school has a great leader and leadership team is the best way to start. This school year, thanks to your support, we are training and supporting nearly 45 future and new school leaders like Najib right here in Baltimore, with the same grit and determination to see their students succeed no matter what. Thank you for joining us and supporting this work.