Jennifer Perry Middleton/Jefferson Jimplecute
Jefferson High School’s Laura Dossey, who has served as an Instructional Coach since 2019, will begin her third year at JHS this fall as the new Assistant Principal.
Dossey was named to the position during a special Jefferson Independent School District Board of Trustees meeting on June 17.
Born in Auburn, California, she was raised in Linden, and is a 1997 graduate of Linden-Kildare High School. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Louisiana State University-Shreveport and a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Education and Mass Communications from Texas A&M University-Texarkana.
She worked at L-K Elementary school for one year and then at L-K High, where she taught English II and III, Debate and Yearbook.
Dossey said she was initially drawn to the education profession due to her love of the content area she has studied.
“But the opportunity to help students from this rural area and from a modest background, much like myself, develop the skills they need to make them competitive for scholarships and job opportunities is what keeps me in education,” she said.
In her personal life, she and her husband, Scott, have been married for 20 years and have two adult daughters, Averie and Gillian, and one granddaughter, Harper. In her spare time, Dossey practices and teaches yoga and enjoys reading and learning about education and yoga.
She said that her parents have been the major influences on her life.
“They are who taught me to have grit and a strong work ethic,” Dossey said. “They have been role models for me in marriage and my approach to life.”
Her goals as JHS Assistant Principal include cultivating an environment in which all students feel safe and included and one that is conducive to learning.
“This year we plan to focus on student progress and help teachers grow in their practice to better meet student needs,” she said.
Dossey said she chose to work at JISD because it gave her a wonderful opportunity for professional growth and development.
“I really love the team I work with here,” she said. “The leaders of this district genuinely have the students’ best interests at the forefront of their decision making, and the teachers and staff are motivated by offering the students the best chance for success. The people are the heart of this district, and it is an honor to serve this community.”