Position: Vice Principal
School: John Hanson Montessori School
School District: Prince George's County Public Schools
City, State: Oxon Hill, MD
Music that Describes Angela
Angela Mason was nominated by her colleague, Irene De Leon.
Mrs. Mason has been an educator for over twenty years. During that time, she has been a stellar leader and advocate for educating students and increasing the capacity of teachers.
"It is a pleasure to work with a person of such integrity and vision," said De Leon. "This leader has drastically reduced the number of parent concerns since she has taken the position of vice principal. In fact, parents have expressed accolades stating how the instructional climate has improved and how students feel good about themselves as they navigate through the print-rich hallways and classrooms. Mrs. Mason is truly an important part of the school community, and she avails herself with community activities and forums."
Mrs. Mason is an efficacious teacher and leader. She works well with the school community and extends herself to parents on a daily basis.
"I was able to closely work with VP Mason while I was the professional development lead teacher and the lower elementary team leader," said De Leon. "She is the type of leader who values the opinion of every person in the school building, especially the students. She is able to elevate her students' confidence, and that impacts their academic performance.
Mrs. Mason organized a Book Club for students who have reading challenges, and she met with them on a regular basis. She made them feel important and helped them improve their reading proficiency and boosted their confidence. Mrs. Mason also viewed students with behavioral issues in the most optimistic way. She deals with them with great care and showed them that she is available to listen to their concerns.
In the same manner, Mrs. Mason makes staff feel like they have a voice in the daily operations of the school. She goes the extra mile to make sure that her teachers feel good about themselves and their respective classes.
"I remember she magnanimously supported our two colleagues who had to undergo a major organ transplant, one being a donor and the other being a recipient," said De Leon. "She was there for them every step of the way, from managing the classes they left, up until their recovery that lasted for almost the entire school year."
"There is a concept called 'The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy' which states that people generally will perform in the way others expect them to perform," said De Leon. "I have witnessed how Mrs. Mason sets high expectations for staff since she knows they are capable, competent, and excellent in their own craft. I am one of the people in the building who was given the opportunities to share and utilize my skills and talents. This can be attributed to the motivation that VP Mason gave me."
Mrs. Mason is also active in different enrichment activities, particularly those that pertain to literacy, numeracy and arts integration. At the end of January 2020, she led her team to organize a Cultural Night, which was a big, successful event. Furthermore, to foster unity and camaraderie, she organized regular social gatherings after school.
"The vice-principal position is one that is an all-encompassing job, and Mrs. Mason has definitely made this transition to being a top-notch educational leader," said De Leon.