National Principals Month acknowledges the year-long labor of school principals across the country. School administrators– including principals– are always hard at work managing their respective facilities, even when school is out of session. More often than not, educational leaders do not enjoy the same summer breaks that students and teachers do. Instead, they must prepare tirelessly for the following school year. Catoctin High School’s Jennifer Clements is one of many secondary school principals that display their commitment to their staff and students each day. In order to better understand and appreciate Mrs. Clements, I asked her several questions regarding her experience as principal of CHS.
My first question for Mrs. Clements pertained to her post-secondary education: “I attended UMBC… where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a certificate in Secondary Education.” From there, she continued her educational journey, earning a Master’s in Secondary Education and a Certificate in Administration and Supervision. It surprised me to learn that Mrs. Clements was a STEM major. I personally believe that this experience contributes to her daily success as a principal. Scientists are expected to use a methodical approach to solve problems, as are school administrators!
Mrs. Clements also discussed her previous gigs in the field of education, including several different schools and job titles. She wrote, “I started my career in education as a science teacher at Oakland Mills High School, the high school from which I graduated, in January of 1996.” Oakland Mills High School is located in Columbia, Maryland and belongs to Howard County Public Schools. In 2003, Mrs. Clements left OMHS to accept a promotion to assistant principal at Mt. Hebron High School. This promotion began her career as a leader in education. She served as the coordinator of secondary science in Howard County from 2009-2010, and became principal of Atholton High School in 2010. The Clements family moved to Frederick County in 2015 where Mrs. Clements resumed her career in education, this time as an assistant principal at Governor Thomas Johnson High School. “In July of 2019, I was blessed with the assignment as principal of Catoctin High School where I continue to be fortunate to serve,” she wrote.
My next questions for Mrs. Clements invited her to share the highs and lows of her current position at Catoctin High School. She said that her motivation for coming to work each day is the opportunity to serve others. She elaborated on this desire to serve and connect with the Catoctin community, writing, “My favorite part of my job is the people… I love getting to know the people (staff, students, and families) with whom and for whom I work.” Mrs. Clements was also open about the more challenging aspects of her career: “…the long hours and the physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding aspects of the work. I must admit that I get tired, but the connections with people that I get to make renew me each day.”
My hope is that this article taught someone something new about our principal, Mrs. Jennifer Clements. It can be difficult for us to humanize the staff members at our school or picture them in other settings. However, the truth is that CHS’ teachers, counselors, custodians, and administrators have their own lives, not too different from our own. As students, we should strive to better understand and appreciate the staff members at our school and, in October, pay special respect to our principal, who shows up for us each and every day!
