At its May 17 meeting, the Arlington School Board appointed Michelle McCarthy as the new Principal of Jamestown Elementary School. McCarthy is currently the assistant principal of Williamsburg Middle School.

“Michelle’s experience at the elementary and middle school levels and her strong instructional background in math give her the ability to help students succeed at both levels,” said Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy. “She has a strong vision, philosophy and approach to learning.”

McCarthy has almost 25 years of experience in education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and mathematics from The College of St. Rose in New York and a Master’s degree in Administration from Trinity College in Washington, D.C.

McCarthy began her career at Jamestown and has worked in a variety of positions throughout her career with many years of experience working for Arlington Public Schools. She has been a classroom teacher, mathematics specialist and coach, and assistant principal at both the elementary and middle school levels.

McCarthy has faith in the ability and willingness of teachers to cultivate and encourage growth and maintains teacher morale and self-efficacy at its highest level. She is known as an approachable and patient school leader, who has a unique ability to motivate others as she leads by example.

Her appointment begins July 1.

About Jamestown
Jamestown’s mission is to educate all children in an optimal learning environment preparing them for success now and in the future. The staff implements a rich and rigorous academic curriculum. Project Quest, the school’s exemplary project, is a school-wide process to ensure continuous school improvement in teaching and learning.