Today: Jennings new principal interviews

COLFAX – Three candidates are set to be interviewed today, April 30, for the position of principal at Jennings Elementary School.

“We’re looking for a fit for Colfax,” said Superintendent Jerry Pugh. “We’re after the best qualified candidate.”

The position initially drew interest from 11 people with nine applying. The district narrowed it down to the three being interviewed. The candidates are Andrew Borders, Sarah Dinkins and Jordan Jennings.

While the candidates will be in town for the interviews, the process will be different from how it was previously done. Candidates will be in a room with only one or two representatives from different aspects of the school, such as teachers or support staff. This representative will ask questions previous submitted by their peers while the others watch via a video link.

“That will happen throughout the day,” Pugh said.

The candidates will give a professional presentation on distance learning to the staff.

JES Principal Travis Howell will still conduct the candidates on a tour of Colfax.

“That gives them the opportunity to talk to the outgoing principal,” Pugh said.

A community forum will be livestreamed from 6 to 7:40 p.m. this evening. Those wishing to participate with a question or comment or to watch need to email the request and questions to [email protected]. The reply will include links to the live stream and the feedback form. All questions must be emailed by noon.

Pugh said even though the sessions are being done online, it is important to get the community involved so they can get a candidate who is a good fit. He wants someone who will see the value of Colfax and want to be apart of that, someone who will be an ambassador for the elementary.

“In a small school, we all wear multiple hats,” he said.

Meet the candidates:

M. Andrew Borders

Borders’s most recent professional experience is as the K-12 Summer School Assistant Director/Principal for the Sunnyside School District. Prior to that, Borders has been a Sunnyside High School Administrative Intern, History, Psychology and Sociology Teacher at Sunnyside High School and he a financial advisor in Spokane.

Borders received his Bachelor of Science in Government and History from Eastern Washington University in 2007, as well as a Master of Education from EWU in 2011. In June 2019 he received his Principal Certificate from EWU.

Borders has been a member of the Sunnyside High School Booster Club for one year as well as the organizer of a summer track and field camp for Sunnyside School District programs.

Sarah Dinkins

Dinkins’s most recent professional experience is as the K-8 Principal Intern for the Lind School District. Prior to this, she was an elementary teacher/ELL coordinator for the Lind School District and an elementary teacher for the North Franklin School District in Connell. From 1998 to July 2007 Dinkins was an Information Technician Second Class apart of the US Navy, Europe/North America.

Dinkins received her Bachelors in Computer Science from Colorado Technical University in 2006, as well as her Post-Bachelorette in Elementary Education from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2010. She received her Masters in English Language Learning from WGU in 2013 and will receive her Master in Education: Educational Administrator from Whitworth University in Spokane in June of this year.

Jordan Jennings

Jennings’s most recent professional experience is being Principal Designee and Principal Substitute for the Moses Lake School District. Prior to this Jennings was an elementary music teacher at Midway Elementary in Moses Lake and a certified substitute teacher for the Medical Lake and Spokane School District.

Jennings received an Associate of Arts in General Education from Pierce College in Lakewood, Wash., in 2011. Jennings went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, Washington K-12 certified, from Eastern Washington University in 2014. In 2019 Jennings received a Masters of Education in School Administration, Washington P-12 certified, from Central Washington University.

Jennings is an ASWP member and member of No Excuses University.