Dear Fort Belvoir Upper students, staff, parents, and community,

The Region 3 leadership team is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. LaZedrick Jemison as the new principal of Fort Belvoir Primary School, effective July 5, 2023.

Dr. Jemison brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the unique needs of our military-connected families, having grown up as a child of a service member.  Both his father and brother served in the Army. Dr. Jemison comes from Denver Public Schools, where he served as the assistant principal at Lowry Elementary School. He possesses a diverse range of expertise that will benefit the school community, having served as an assistant principal at middle school as well as serving as an interim principal at Lowry Elementary School.

Dr. Jemison is dedicated to fostering positive social-emotional skills in students, supporting their growth and development, and has experience closing achievement gaps in both literacy and in mathematics. His innovative approach to education includes initiatives such as integrating social-emotional learning throughout the day and implementing student and family voice opportunities to promote student achievement.

He believes in teaching, learning, and community and values open communication and collaboration with all stakeholders. His data-driven decision-making approach, coupled with his dedication to the whole child, aligns with the school's vision and values.

Dr. Jemison holds a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership from Argosy University, Atlanta, Georgia, where his dissertation focused on narrowing the achievement gap in Title I schools. He has a Master of Education in Education Administration and Policy from Howard University, Washington, D.C., and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Alabama A & M University, Huntsville, Alabama.  Moreover, Dr. Jemison has pursued post-doctoral studies at Harvard University, where he focused his work on education policy and instructional practices.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Dr. Jemison as the new principal at Fort Belvoir Primary School.