Dr. Jane H. MacDonald
Assistant
Professor of Educational Administration
Office Number: Education North 113D
Phone: (903) 886-5138
Email: Jane_MacDonald@tamu-commerce.edu
Biography:
Dr. MacDonald began her career as a Regional Day School Program for the Deaf teacher in the Houston Independent School District. After seven years of teaching the deaf, deaf-blind, and deaf multi-handicapped, she became Houston’s youngest principal.
During her tenure in the Houston ISD, Dr. MacDonald led the district in creating, designing, and building a one-of-a-kind in the nation Magnet School – T. H. Rogers. The T. H. Rogers Campus became the largest multi-disciplinary staffed campus in the nation, serving the needs of the Vanguard Program (gifted & talented), Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (0 to 3, PK to 8th), and Severely Multi-handicapped (0 to 21 years). Many medical, legal, and educational protocols (designed to meet Public Law 94-142 requirements for severe and profoundly handicapped students) used today in public schools were established at this campus under Dr. MacDonald’s leadership. After completing her doctoral studies at Texas A&M University, she was asked to join the Graduate Faculty in Educational Administration in College Station. Dr. MacDonald co-founded the Texas A&M University Principals’ Center – the second such center established for the support of the principal in the nation. Dr. MacDonald has over twenty years experience as a public school principal at all levels – magnet school, elementary, middle school, and high school with two National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Awards. After serving as an Assistant Superintendent for a northeast Texas school district, Dr. MacDonald joined the faculty at Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2002.
She brings to the department a strong background in successful grant writing, coalition building, learning community development, and personal knowledge and skills in today’s principalship. Dr. MacDonald describes herself as a constructivist – using this approach to promote highly interactive student participation with her classroom strategies based on Adult Learning Theory. “I am delighted to be in the classroom at Texas A&M University - Commerce as teaching is my first love. This department has an outstanding reputation for serving the needs of its students and community. It is a place I want to be – developing, supporting, and nurturing educational leaders.”
