School Leader Spotlight: Machion Jackson at Detroit's David Ellis Academy

Machion Jackson, Director of School Operations at David Ellis Academy in Detroit, discusses the different roles that urban teachers often must assume, including social worker, nurse and mom. She also discusses other challenges, such as the fact that many students have never been outside of Detroit, which puts them at a disadvantage for statewide tests. To combat this, Jackson has helped to implement an annual camping trip to northern Michigan to expose students to more of their state. The camping trip instills team skills and self-confidence by exposing children to a variety of different activities. Machion Jackson is an educator whose dedication to helping students reach their maximum potential is demonstrated every day in her role as Director of School Operations at David Ellis Academy. The Academy has received the Golden Apple Award, was named a High Performing School by the Skillman Foundation, was recently inducted in the Schools That Can Network, and has made continuous Adequate Yearly Progress under her leadership. The Academy replicated its model under her direction, in creating David Ellis Academy-West in 2006. A graduate of the University of Detroit and Columbus College, Mrs. Jackson has played a major role in conceptualizing school curricula, created viable school partnerships, developed and implemented academic and extra-curricular programs, created professional development modules and revitalized indicators of success in schools of choice. Her passion of planning and facilitating staff development in-services at elementary and secondary school levels has caused educational suitors to seek her presentations at state and national conferences. Machion’s teaching experiences include teaching English and Social Studies at middle and high school levels, and instructing English Composition and Computer Integration in the Classroom at the collegiate level. She has served on the boards of a strict discipline academy and a teen girls’ mentoring program and currently volunteers as a server at The Detroit Rescue Mission, a Think Detroit/PAL soccer coach, a Detroit Chamber of Commerce Leadership Detroit Educational Support committee member, an advisor/facilitator to INROADS, a member of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, and a dancer/choreographer at Greater Grace Temple Church.