Celebrating Principal Appreciation Month with Perez Elementary School’s Principal

Principal Jessica Johnson is in her 11th year leading Perez Elementary School in Pilsen, a school that she describes as a “gem in the big city.” She explains that she felt extremely fortunate to join a school supported by generations of families and an extremely dedicated staff. Over the years, the community has worked together, and progress has followed: Perez recently received “Exemplary” status from the Illinois State Board of Education! 

She came to Chicago from a more rural environment. In fact, the first high-rise building she moved into had more people in it than her entire hometown. This background and her experiences moving between CPS schools as she took on new roles helped her understand that opportunities for students can vary based on where they go to school. That is why she wants to make sure that every student at Perez, a neighborhood school, has an incredible educational experience. 

“You need great teachers to have a great school, but they need to be respected and supported in their work,” said Principal Johnson. “They should have a leader who pushes them and holds them accountable, but also respects that teachers have a challenging role with many  day-to-day responsibilities.” 

Perez’s demographics—the school serves a largely Hispanic student population—differ from the other points along Principal Johnson’s journey in CPS, and she has learned the importance of uplifting cultural values as a school leader. In her case, this meant preserving the school’s traditions and building upon preexisting relationships. 

“My hope is that I can be a strong voice on behalf of my school community,” she said. “Even though I may not look like all of my families or speak the same language, I want them to know that I care deeply about their students, their futures, and their concerns. I want them to know I am an advocate and an ally. ” 

This school year, Principal Johnson is focused on increasing student voice at Perez in ways that help students become better writers and communicators. Part of this process focuses on helping students understand how and why the school’s priorities have been selected. 

On top of that, she is also strategizing how social-emotional learning can tie in with this focus on student voice. One example is an initiative called Perez Pals, where older students build relationships with younger students through one-on-one mentorship and team-building activities. This initiative also gives students opportunities to work on their writing skills together. Much of the work at Perez incorporates this focus on writing. 

“Students may wonder why we keep pushing pen and paper when we live in a world of technology,” she said. “And it’s because writing  is where learning happens and where your brain is the most active.” 

She believes that she has become more mindful about building cohesive and strategic goals over the years, but she also acknowledges that it can be difficult to do so because of the pressures of managing a school day-to-day. Her advice is twofold. First, try to maintain your focus on your larger goals even when it is tough to do so. And, second, if an issue is preventing you from maintaining this focus, address the issue head-on instead of trying to ignore it. 

This second step connects back to the importance of building relationships within the school community. For example, if issues are stemming from a parent who is critical of you as a leader, it can be helpful to find points of common ground with them and develop ways for you to collaborate to make progress toward the school’s overarching goals. According to Principal Johnson, the principalship is about leading with kindness and respect, which is exactly what she wants to impart to her students as well. 

“It is important for my students to see that being a kind and caring person in the world goes a long way,” she said. “I believe that they can achieve anything they want through hard work, passion, and joy.”