Empower Everyone Everyday
Jerry Lee Faine Principal Tina Garst earns certification as NAESP Pre-K–3 Credentialed Leader
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DOTHAN, Ala. -- Dothan City Schools is excited to announce that Tina Garst, Principal at Jerry Lee Faine Elementary School, has successfully completed the NAESP Pre-K–3 Leadership Academy. This accomplishment marks the culmination of a transformative journey for educators committed to advancing high-quality and aligned early learning in Alabama. Garst is one of 40 school leaders across the state to complete the professional learning program through the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS), and the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE).
The graduating cohort, part of the eighth Alabama group to complete this prestigious program, includes dedicated principals and educators who have engaged in a comprehensive job-embedded learning experience. The program is designed to enhance leadership capabilities in early learning environments. By completing the program, Garst received her certification as a Pre-K-3 Credentialed Leader, according to the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
The academy, guided by NAESP’s foundational competency framework, Leading Learning Communities: A Principal’s Guide to Early Learning and the Early Grades (Pre-K−3rd Grade), focuses on key competencies. These include fostering partnerships with families and communities, ensuring equitable learning opportunities, and promoting continuous improvement. Garst also undertook a Capstone Project to apply her learning practically in the school setting. Funding for the program is provided by the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education through Governor Kay Ivey’s Strong Start, Strong Finish initiative and the federal Preschool Development Grant, Birth through Five.
“Dothan City Schools appreciates Tina Garst’s dedication to the students at Jerry Lee Faine Elementary School and the school district,” said Dr. Dennis Coe, Dothan City Schools Superintendent. “Her unwavering commitment to Dothan City Schools through valuable professional development opportunities like the NAESP Pre K-3 Leadership Academy amplifies her skills in advancing early childhood education leadership. She brings out the best in her colleagues and fellow principals, and she wants to see every student succeed.”
The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), founded in 1921, advocates for elementary and middle-level principals worldwide. It empowers them through policy, professional learning, and resources to enhance instructional leadership.
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