Schools
Henderson's New Principal Excited For The Upcoming School Year
New principal brings a diverse wealth of experience to her new position.
The 2011-2012 school year hasn’t started yet but new Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School Principal Seidah Ashshaheed is already hard at work.
Coming from a middle school in King George, Va, a rural area in Virginia’s Northern Neck, Ashshaheed provides a diverse backdrop to her new employer that she is looking forward to embracing.
“I’ve taught in various communities, I started my teaching career in Washington D.C. at Jefferson Junior High School,” Ashshaheed said. “Prior to that I was an intern with the U.S. Department of Education, I’ve had the city experience and I was born and raised in Chicago.”
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Ashshaheed has experience at every level of the K-12 grade spectrum. After graduating from the University of Illinois, she decided to stay in the D.C. area after completing her internship with the Department of Education, earning a master’s degree in educational leadership from George Mason University. Shortly after that she became an administrator in Prince William County prior to moving on to King’s George Middle School, where she helped 92 percent of eighth graders achieve a passing score on their SOL tests.
In addition to her new role at Henderson, Ashshaheed will continue to be a student herself, as she is currently enrolled in a doctoral program with Virginia Tech University, attending classes at their satellite site located just around the corner from Henderson.
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“I love education, I’m passionate about learning, I’m passionate about students,” Ashshaheed said. “You know how you know you’re born to do something? I was a born educator, I really believe that.”
While most teachers and students are enjoying their summer vacations, principal Ashshaheed has been hard at work, in her office everyday working with her new Parent Teacher Association and organizing the calendar for the upcoming school year.
She is looking forward to the challenges Henderson will bring this upcoming year.
“As an administrator, I feel at home. Although this is the city life, it still has that small community family feel to it,” said Ashshaheed. “To have such a diverse community in this school, I think it’s over 30 different cultures here and I embrace that. I’ve been welcomed by the teachers and the community whole heartedly, I’m excited.”
