Jenna Blech is an individual who leads with positivity and strives to be an ideal role model for young students. The current principal at Jones Elementary School in Portage, Blech has been working for the Portage Township School Corporation for 25 years and is still going strong.
Blech attained her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Purdue University. She began her career in the education field working with the Title 1 Reading program at Kyle Elementary School in Portage. She was a 3rd-grade teacher at Myers Elementary School when the opportunity to be the principal at Jones Elementary School presented itself. Throughout her years as an educator, she taught students from 1st to 5th-grade levels.
“It’s been my life-long dream to be an educator, but my new position involves working with and cultivating students at an administrative level, which has been a wonderful opportunity,” Blech said. “I have always been someone who loves working and connecting with kids.”
Blech described her daily mindset as “leading with positivity.” Whenever she makes a decision as an administrator, she always keeps the interests of the students in mind.
“My role as the principal requires being a positive role model for the students, which has a strong effect on everyone else in the building and sets the tone for the entire day,” Blech said. “I am fortunate to be able to work with a group of strong leaders and educators. We truly have an exemplary team of people who supports each other and drives that team effort home. Everyone here is working toward the same purpose and making the best decisions for them.”
Blech further commented that her roles have been as much of a learning experience for her as it has been for the students, especially recently with the COVID-19 pandemic. She stated that having really strong and healthy relationships with both the students and faculty made the transition to virtual learning easier.
“Both my current and previous roles have been learning experiences, and over time I’ve realized that there is always more to learn,” Blech said. “It has constantly been about being about bettering myself and evolving not just as an administrator and an educator, but as a person. And these experiences only become better when you work with other people with the same mindset.”
“It took a great amount of effort and dedication to get where I am at today, so I’m incredibly proud of myself and my progress,” Blech said. “I want to teach everyone by example that it is never too late to achieve your goals and better yourself as a person.”