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Principal Shelly Jensen excited to welcome students

Posted 8/3/21

With the 2021-22 academic year about to kick off, McDowell Mountain Elementary School has new leadership at the helm. Dr. Shelly Jensen has taken over as principal, saying she and her staff are …

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Principal Shelly Jensen excited to welcome students

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With the 2021-22 academic year about to kick off, McDowell Mountain Elementary School has new leadership at the helm. Dr. Shelly Jensen has taken over as principal, saying she and her staff are excited to welcome students back to campus starting next week.

Dr. Jensen was born and raised in Brookings, S.D., where she lived until 2006.

“During that time, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in communication disorders and, shortly after that, I got my endorsement in early childhood special education,” she said. “I spent much of my time working in special education over 14 years.”

Jensen left Brookings in 2006 for Tea, working for the state in the Birth to Three program, an early intervention program for youngsters with developmental delays or disabilities.

Dr. Jensen went back to school in 2008 to achieve her master’s degree in education administration, eventually bumping that up to a doctorate.

“While I was doing that, we moved to Chester, where I began work as a speech therapist,” Dr. Jensen said. “We then moved to Hendricks, where I was pre-K through 12 principal.”

In the midst of that, Dr. Jensen had the task of starting a middle and high school from scratch in the span of about two months, so she got a crash course on the full spectrum of the educational system over a single summer.

From there, Dr. Jensen headed back to Brookings where she took on an assistant principal position. She was there for nine years before accepting the role as MMES principal.

Dr. Jensen and her husband of 27 years, Randy, have two youngsters of their own. Bailie is completing her last semester in college, studying to be an elementary school teacher, while Cody is in his first of two years at a college for building trades, both back in South Dakota.

With one kid in college and the other about to graduate high school at the time, Dr. Jensen said she felt it was time to seek a job as a principal once again.

Dr. Jensen and her daughter actually visited Arizona last year and made their way to Fountain Hills to see the town’s iconic aquatic fixture in Fountain Park.

“I told my daughter this would be the greatest place to live and work,” she said. “I found it to be a peaceful, welcoming and really nice place to be. Then, a year later, I got offered the elementary principal position, so that worked out.”

Dr. Jensen said she’s received nothing but support since she has arrived, from district staff to her fellow administrators, staff and the PTO.

“In years past, I think there has been a system of schools rather than a school system,” she said. “[Superintendent] Dr. Glass is really trying to move us toward a unified district approach. This is already a really good school district, but we’re focused on moving it from good to great.”

Dr. Jensen said her leadership approach is big picture oriented and she likes to have a staff that sees and works toward that common goal.

“I’m a big fan of teaming and, while ultimately I’m the one that makes the decision, I like to have input from those I work with,” Dr. Jenson continued. “I’m data-driven and a leader with an open door.”

She also likes to be in the classroom and plans on spending time working hands-on with her students and teachers. Open communication will be another focus as the school year gets rolling.

As far as a philosophy goes, Dr. Jensen said she strongly believes that all students can learn.

“We just have to meet them where they are,” she said. “We have to figure out what motivates them and what accommodations they may need to be a successful learner.”

Coming out of the pandemic, where the educational process was a bit all over the place, Dr. Jensen said it is especially important in the coming school year for teachers to reach each and every student. She said teaming with Fort McDowell will also be a focus for her, with both communities working together to provide for educational success.

“I am super excited to get to work,” Dr. Jensen said. “A school is not a school without kids. I am excited to see their faces. I’m also excited to meet the parents and get to know everyone as we get the school year started.”