JEB Stuart Principal Calling it Quits After Almost 34 Years

By Christine Allen

For almost 34 years at , Principal Pamela Jones has held her fair share of positions since starting off her career as a special education teacher in October of 1978. Holding titles such as ID department chair and Special Education department chair, as well as acting assistant principal up until her current position as principal.

Ironically enough, Jones attended as a student. When offered the job at Stuart, her initial reaction was, “but that’s my rival high school!”

“All I could hear in the back of my head was my dad saying, ‘Pam, you need a job,’” Jones said. “As soon as I took the job at J.E.B. Stuart, I knew I was always a Raider.”

Jones recalls her favorite memory at Stuart as undeniably being the students. Jones loves to brag about Stuart students, “I love the students at J.E.B. Stuart High School. The students here aren’t like any others in Fairfax County Public Schools,” said Jones. “They look out for one another and are respectful.”

“It doesn’t matter how rich or poor you are because everyone overlooks that here and it doesn’t matter,” Jones said. “I feel they have the international opportunity, and that in itself is so unique.”

Jones noted the tremendous amount of effort and time the teachers put in and adds this to the list of things she will miss most about Stuart. “The teachers here truly care for the students,” said Jones. “They [teachers] work really hard and work long days to ensure the success of our students.”

“Here we have a large ESOL population, and large IB and AVID programs,” added Jones. “The programs we have here are not here by chance, they are here because teachers truly believe in the benefits of these programs.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

On May 1, Jones announced her resignation from Stuart via email to the faculty.

 “It was an extremely difficult decision, but I am looking forward to seeing the next chapter of J.E.B. Stuart High School,” said Jones. “For almost 34 years I’ve been a Raider, [and] it’s been an honor, I’m glad I had the opportunity.”

   Stuart also bids adieu to two vital assets to the school’s administration. Assistant principals Francis Brady and Matthew Cope announced their resignation at a faculty meeting on May 8.

Brady has been working in the field of education for 37 years, not only as an assistant principal but also as a health and physical education teacher. Brady started at Stuart in 2005 and has been the assistant principal for seven years.  

 “What I will miss the most is the dedication of the teachers,” Brady said. “There are so many needs that have to be met so that every student is successful.”

Brady said his favorite memory at Stuart was “when the football team finally broke their losing streak. They saw what they could achieve,” Brady said, “and it lifted up the entire school.” 

Cope came to Stuart in 2009 as a dean of students and after a year, he was promoted to assistant principal and has held that position for two years.

“What makes Stuart different is that we have such a unique group of students,” Cope said “Whether it is excelling in athletics to academics, there are impressive results.” 

 “It’s a great place to be,” Cope said.

As for the future, Cope ideally plans to go back to teaching special education at the middle school level.

Christine Allen is a student at J.E.B. Stuart High and a reporter for the school's newspaper, the Raiders' Digest.