Tamra Jackson appointed to WVC Board of Trustees

Bridgeport High School principal Tamra Jackson has been appointed to a five-year term on the Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees by Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire. She replaces outgoing trustee Darlene Wilder, who served two terms on the board.

Jackson has been principal at Bridgeport High School since 2009 and has taught English for 27 years. Under her leadership, Bridgeport High School has enjoyed national attention, having been chosen as one of the top three finalists in the Race to the Top Presidential Commencement Challenge in spring 2011. The school was ranked as a Gold Medal School in the U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools last spring, as the eighth Best Public High School in Washington state, and it is in the top one percent of all high schools in the nation. This fall, the high school was recognized as a Reward School for High Progress by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The 2011 Washington State ASCD State Team Award for “College in the High School Program” was presented to Bridgeport High School and Wenatchee Valley College for their collaborative work to make a significant, positive impact on student learning and serving as a model for other educators.

Jackson’s goal is to educate young people and equip every student with the tools and opportunities they need to seek higher education.

“The formula for success is the belief that rigorous preparation and persistence are fundamental building blocks for student achievement,” she said.

In 2011, Jackson was selected as the Distinguished League Principal of the Year (2011-12) for the Central Washington “B” League, and as a White House Champion of Change in Education. Jackson was a 2009-10 Teacher Ambassador Fellow for the U.S. Department of Education. She has worked as a member of the Writing Assessment Leadership Team for Washington state, and she volunteers as an EMT for the Bridgeport Volunteer Fire and Ambulance.