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School Board Appoints Arlington Community High School and Escuela Key Principals

The Arlington School Board appointed two principals at its July 8 meeting.

Jeannette AllenThe School Board appointed Jeannette Allen as the new Principal of Arlington Community High School. Her appointment begins July 9.

Dr. Allen has over 20 years of experience in education and 14 years of dedicated service within Arlington Public Schools. Dr. Allen brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership, and commitment to her new role. She’s held various pivotal positions within APS, showcasing her versatility and leadership capabilities. Dr. Allen served as the Director of Secondary Education and Administrative Services, where she supported county-wide secondary education programs, ensuring schools met the strategic goals of APS and the developmental needs of students and supported APS administrators with student behavior. She also served as Interim Assistant Superintendent, providing principal support, leadership, and crisis management.

Formerly, Dr. Allen held positions with Fairfax County Public Schools as a teacher and Lead Teacher and with Alexandria City Public Schools as a Principal. Most recently, she’s been the Assistant Principal at ACHS, where she developed a profound understanding of the school’s distinctive culture and the diverse needs of its student body. Her role involved focusing on instructional leadership, the academic schedule, student records, social-emotional learning, staff development, and student behavior management. She also played a crucial role in managing critical operations and the ACHS evening program.

Dr. Allen holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from George Washington University, a Master of Business Administration in Executive Leadership from James Madison University, a Master of Education in Education Leadership, and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction-Multicultural Multilingual Education from George Mason University. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Studies: Social Work from George Mason University.

Frances LeeThe School Board also appointed Frances Lee as the new Principal of Escuela Key effective July 16. Lee is currently the Principal of Ashlawn Elementary School.

Lee is a dedicated bilingual educator with more than two decades of experience in elementary and high school settings. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and in Elementary Education from Wittenberg University and a master’s degree in Multilingual/Multicultural Education from George Mason University.

Lee has furthered her education by obtaining endorsements in Gifted Education and Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Virginia and George Washington University. Currently residing in Arlington with her family, Lee and her husband have chosen the Spanish Immersion Program for their children’s K-12 educational journey. Her career began in Ecuador, teaching English as a second language before transitioning to the Washington, DC area in 2002 to teach at an immersion elementary school. She started her tenure at Key Elementary School, in APS, where she spent a decade teaching first and second grades. Later, she took on the role of resource teacher for the gifted, offering math and science instruction in Spanish.

Lee’s professional journey also includes teaching English as a Second Language at Washington-Liberty High School and serving as a Master Educator on the Language Acquisition Team in DC Public Schools. She then spent six years as Assistant Principal of Wakefield High School, focusing on supporting English Language learners and expanding the Spanish Immersion Program. Returning to elementary education, Lee served as the assistant principal of Escuela Key Elementary, during the 2021-22 school year, overseeing programs such as Special Education, English language learners, and Spanish Immersion. Most recently, she’s been the principal of Ashlawn Elementary School, where she’s demonstrated exceptional leadership by fostering connections among linguistically diverse families, supporting the Global Citizenship Program, and enhancing overall academic achievement.

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