Since his arrival in 2005, Principal Jay Pearson has been a frontrunner in Marshall’s progress as an academically and technologically advanced school.
From his work in developing a new laptop and cell phone code to his input in the ongoing renovation, Pearson’s dedication has finally been acknowledged: he has been named FCPS’s 2014 Principal of the Year and received the Washington Post’s Distinguished Educational Leadership Award.
Chosen out of 21 other principals in the DC metropolitan area, Pearson is credited with nine years of work at Marshall, which have been marked with increased IB enrollment and the steady creation and care of a supportive community. Encouraging each student to find his niche and establish a personal connection within the community, Pearson is quick to remind both students and teachers that “this isn’t just another day.”
His focus on community has allowed for great strides in inclusion and expansion of resources available at Marshall. Realizing the wide and varied needs of the school’s diverse student body, Pearson has ensured the availability of a prayer room for Muslim students during and after school, allowed for the creation and continued operation of the Gay-Straight Alliance, and promoted free speech and discussion through his support of student journalism.