In a school this large, forming connections isn’t something that is necessarily easy, so Principal Sah Brown made it a priority to build relationships with students, staff, and community members outside of the building during his first year at Jackson-Reed.

Brown’s first year was marked by a lockdown due to gunshots on Chesapeake Street in November; a theater deep in disrepair; deteriorating bathrooms; religious controversy surrounding the Federation of Christian Athletes; overcrowding in the building; and a growing teacher shortage—all while he had to adjust to JR’s oversized student body.

Science teacher Hallie Baskin explained how Brown’s presence in the halls during passing periods greatly contributed to a positive impression throughout the year. During these periods, Baskin noted that she’s even seen him take a broom and sweep up trash left in the halls. “[Seeing Brown] do all of this, I want to step in and help as well. Having him come and step up has been just a wonderful, positive thing to see.”

One difference Brown has noticed between his previous school, Eastern High School, and Jackson-Reed is the involvement with broader communities, primarily as a result of the nearby Tenleytown shops that students frequent. This has contributed to how Brown has approached community-building, as the involved neighborhood has introduced a new factor to keep in mind. 

Brown went into his first year here at JR with three goals.

The first of those goals was building trust within the school. Being a new leader in the building comes with challenges and gaining the trust of the community was a priority when planning what his first year would look like. 

Throughout the year Brown wanted to open the dialogue by sharing information about his plans with the community as well as having conversations with various parents to form close relationships. “With the support of our PTSO, I conducted parent coffees every Saturday morning, once a month, as an opportunity for [families] to hear directly from me about what’s happening in the school and the community.”

Safety was another primary concern for Brown. After completing a walkthrough of the building at the beginning of the year, Brown explained that he noticed safety issues that needed to be addressed. This year, Brown and the administration have fixed door handles, security doors, the PA system, and cameras. 

To Brown, safety in the community is just as important inside the building as outside. This year was especially challenging because the JR community lost two students. “Losing a student is difficult. Then trying to overcome that, while ensuring that we continue to recognize those that we lost and also keep our school and the individuals that make up our school community [supported].”

Finally, Brown wanted to improve academic performance within the school. While administration has yet to receive PARCC scores, they have been able to get information from reading data and meetings. “We’ve had some growth,” said Brown. “Our teachers did a really great job.”

Looking forward to next year, Social Studies teacher Michelle Bollinger reflects on what she would like to see improve: “I’d like to see a commitment to equity and joy be brought back as our collective focus, and for school leaders to reinvigorate that conversation.”