Jesse L. Jackson is the Superintendent of Schools for the Lake Wales Charter Schools system, which serves 3,500+ students in Lake Wales, Florida.
Mr. Jackson received his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Florida in 1979, and his master’s in Educational Leadership from Florida State University in 1994. He is currently a Doctorial Candidate at Florida State University.
He began his career as the director of Re-Entry of Gainesville, a rehabilistation center for ex-offenders. From there he worked with the North Florida Juvenile Detention Center as a juvenile intake counselor.
His introduction to teaching and his career in education began in 1981 at Gainesville’s Eastside High as an alternative education teacher. He has been a high school social studies teacher and coached high school football and basketball at Chiefland High School; a social studies teacher and football coach at Boca Ciega High School in St. Petersburg; a 7th grade social studies teacher and team leader at Deerlake Middle School in Tallahassee; assistant principal at Bond Elementary in Tallahassee; middle/high principal at Thomasville High School in Thomasville, Georgia; elementary principal at Florida State University Schools; and Superintendent of the Florida State University Schools.
Mr. Jackson officially began his tenure as Superintendent of the Lake Wales Charter Schools system on January 1, 2008. He was selected for the position following a nationwide search.
While with the Florida State University Schools system, his schools were recognized as A+ schools for five consecutive years and achieved annual yearly progress for four consecutive years.
He is a member of the Florida Center for Research Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (FCR-STEM) International Advisory Board; member of the Board of Directors of the Panhandle Area Education Consortium in Chipley, Florida; member of the Board of Directors for the Florida Association of Teacher Educators, Tallahassee, Florida; and on the State Advisory Council for Safe and Drug Free Schools also in Tallahassee, Florida.
Mr. Jackson is well known in the political arena, testifies before the Florida Legislature and lobbies on behalf of the Charter School movement.
He was born January 2, 1956 in Jacksonville, Florida. He and his wife Cassandra have three children, Jesse Jr., Caroline and Kirsten.
LAKE WALES – Janie Howard Wilson Elementary students cashed in their Star Bucks – earned in the school’s Positive Behavior Support program – to take part in a Crafty Celebration last week (Jan. 27) that one student described as the “best celebration ever!”
LAKE WALES – Six members of the 2011 Lake Wales Highlanders football team made college commitments today (Feb. 1) as part of National Signing Day.
LAKE WALES – Janie Howard Wilson Elementary fifth grade students were mesmerized by concert pianist Thomas Pandolfi (pictured, center), who performed today (Jan. 30) at the Lake Wales Arts Center.
