BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Top Photo: Ayena Jackson is shown with Elmore County Public School Supt. Dr. Richard Dennis.
With 21 years as a teacher and most recently Principal at Millbrook Middle School, Ayena Jackson shows no signs of slowing down.
In fact, Jackson will take on a new role as an educator, that being the Director of Middle School Education for Elmore County.
“Now, I will have the opportunity to share my passion with students around Elmore County,” Jackson told the Elmore/Autauga News. “I will be in charge of the four middle schools in Elmore County and the fifth and sixth grade wings of Redland Elementary. More specifically, I will oversee the curriculum, discipline, and all personnel.”
Jackson, a Millbrook native, started teaching 4th grade at Millbrook Middle School in 1999.
“I taught 4th grade for four years and moved into administration in 2003. My administrative job was at Holtville High School. I remained there until 2005 and returned to Millbrook Middle School as Assistant Principal,” Jackson said. “I was the Assistant Principal there for eight years. I became Principal in 2013. My seven years as the leader of MMS were very rewarding. I can walk away knowing that every decision I made, popular or unpopular, right or wrong, was all about the children.”
Jackson said she wanted to ensure that everything was being done to provide the best education possible for students.
“My greatest joy is knowing that I played a part in the education of thousands of children in the Millbrook area. I can rest comfortably at night knowing that I gave it my all.”
So now as she transitions to new duties, the passion for education will continue.
“I always wanted to be in education. As a little girl, I would line my dolls up and play school with my books and chalkboard. Anybody in my family can tell you that it was always my dream. Now, to see my dreams fulfilled beyond anything I could ever imagine is nothing more than a blessing from God,” she said.
In the past weeks, Jackson has been posting pictures, memories, and thanking so many people who helped her along the way to follow her dream. Below is a synopsis of those thank yous and photographs she has allowed us to share with this article.
“(Top Photo) I would like to thank Superintendent Richard Dennis for giving me a chance and ALWAYS believing in me. Many of you may not know that Mr. Dennis was my seventh grade English teacher. He also hired me as his Assistant Principal at Holtville High School. This was my first administrative position. I was 25 years old and fresh out of teaching in a fourth grade classroom. He saw something in me in 2003 that I didn’t even see in myself. “
“I would like to thank Dr. Andre Harrison and Dr. Jeff Langham. They are the reason I became the Principal at Millbrook Middle School. I will never forget the day they called to offer me the job. My mom (Williemae Duncan) and I had prayed and prayed for that call. I told them that I couldn’t wait to call her. They told me they wanted to call her to give her my good news. They did and she still talks about that phone call to this day.”
“I don’t have enough words to describe how grateful I am for Dr. Debra Graham Gosha. From the moment she became my 7th and 8th grade Literature teacher up to this very day, she has been a constant in my life. When I got my first teaching job at Millbrook Middle School in 1999, she was the Assistant Principal and my direct supervisor. I carefully watched the way she ran her building, and aspired to be just like her. Six years later, she went on to bigger and better things and I replaced her as the Assistant Principal at MMS in 2005.”
“I will forever be thankful for Shelia McQueen! Shelia was one of my secretaries at MMS for the fifteen years I served as an administrator. She always took care of me in her sweet and gentle way. I’ve practically known her my entire life. She has the patience of Job. I can’t count the number of requests that were thrown out at her.”
“I’m thankful for Mrs. Loretta Kiser. Mrs. Kiser was my eighth grade English teacher right here at MMS. She also ended up being one of my Guidance Counselors for the entire fifteen years I served as an administrator at MMS. There is no way to make up a better story. I gained so many life-long connections just by being a student at MMS. ”
“I am forever indebted to the amazing Assistant Principals/Administrative Assistants I had the pleasure to work beside during my time as Principal of MMS. I have never seen so many hardworking, smart, dedicated, and loyal professionals all in one place. Each year, with the exception of the last two years, I had a different team. I couldn’t keep them. They would eventually move on to bigger and better things. That always made my heart smile. Out of the ten, five became Principals, one left to work on the county level, two went from Admin Assistants to Assistant Principals, and the others are well on their way to being Principals. I had no magic formula. It was pretty simple. I always believed in finding people’s strengths and allowing them to use them.”
See Asst. Principal/Admin Assistants photos below.
