Alexandria Superintendent Morton Sherman last week announced that PreeAnn Johnson is the new principal at James K. Polk Elementary School located in the citys West End. Prior to becoming the schools new leader, Johnson had been an assistant principal in the Alexandria City Public School system since 2002, according to ACPS.

Ms. Johnson is most deserving of this important leadership position, Sherman said. She is an outstanding communicator who always thinks first about what is best for the children.

Working as an educator in the citys school system since 1985, Johnson has most recently served as an assistant principal at T.C. Williams High School Minnie Howard Campus, as well as at Cora Kelly and Douglas MacArthur elementary schools, according to ACPS.

Ms. Johnsons passion for education and dedication to the ACPS community make her an ideal choice to lead Polk Elementary School, he said.

In the past, Johnson has worked with her schools math specialist to implement Everyday Math in the upper grades one year prior to the districts full implementation at grades three through five and used data from assessments to establish which Everyday Math resources would help meet the targeted needs of the schools population, ACPS said.

Johnson has a bachelors degree in human development from St. Marys College of Maryland and a masters in education from American University, specializing in working with emotionally disturbed students. Currently, Johnson is working towards a doctorate in education, administration and supervision from the University of Maryland.