Different by Design: An Interview with Principal Jennifer Young

Imagine that you had the opportunity to build a new version of school that was different by design. Where would you begin in your exploration, planning, and research? What decisions would you make about curriculum, instruction, and assessment? How would you build a vision and cultivate a team of educators to join you on your journey? How would you reimagine learning spaces to align with your beliefs about learning? 

In recent weeks, we had the privilege of connecting with Jennifer Young, a Principal on Special Assignment from the Mansfield Independent School District in Texas who has the exciting (and daunting!) responsibility of answering all of the questions above. Recognizing the imperative and possibilities of building a school of modern learning, Principal Young’s district asked her to lead this process for their community. Over the course of the year, she has been researching, reading, collaborating with her team, and visiting schools across the country to tap into innovative ideas about school redesign. 

We were excited to meet with her at Nipmuc during her recent trip to Massachusetts. We’re even more fortunate to stay connected with her and to have the chance to follow her work to build a school that is different by design. 

The questions, possibilities, and excitement for this challenge are endless. Enjoy the interview and check back with us for future interviews as we follow Principal Young’s progress.

Resources: 

• "Believing in the Power of Students" - An interview with Chad Carlson from Idaho's One Stone
• In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School - A MURSD Leads interview with author Jal Mehta