Dr. Jacqueline “Jackie” McDonnough has been an educator for nearly 40 years, and a Highland Park resident for just as long.
She is running for Richmond School Board’s District 6 seat because she has the expertise and the passion our schools need.
First and foremost, Jackie is a dedicated mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, daughter, and member of her community. She brings a focus on the well being of families and communities into all the work she does. She’s also an avid gardener with her husband, and they are known for enlisting loved ones in the annual winterization of the garden, and she believes that environmental health is directly linked to the health of our communities.
She served as a professor and teacher at VCU and in Richmond-area public schools for over three decades, teaching science and then science education to future educators. At VCU, she secured more than $38 million in funding from federal and state sources including the National Science Foundation to improve recruitment and retention of secondary science teachers and improve science teaching in the Commonwealth.
Dr. McDonnough was instrumental in the creation and implementation of the Richmond Teacher Residency Program (RTR) which to date has prepared and supported more than 100 teachers for RPS classrooms.
She received the VCU School of Education Award of Excellence in 2017, and has published extensively and presented her work to national and international audiences on topics focused on recruiting and retaining science teachers in high-need schools.
She is also a naturalized citizen and has worked with English Language Learners on strategies for success in science classrooms. She is clear on an essential issue of our time: ICE has no place in our schools.
Both her children and grandchildren attended Richmond public schools – Overby Sheppard, Henderson, and John Marshall. She knows what it means to be a PTA-parent advocating for students in our schools.
Beyond her expertise in curricula, she is also a dedicated leader in her community. She served on the inaugural board of Highland Park Restoration and Preservation Association; the advisory board of Highland Park Quality of Life Civic Association; and started Highland Park Garden Club to connect legacy and recent residents.