Marquez Elementary Welcomes New Principal

By MAGNOLIA LAFLEUR | Reporter

Marquez Charter Elementary School has a new principal at the helm: LaTanya Reeves—an educator with over 20 years of experience—joined the team on Tuesday, November 30.

With a masters degree in adult education from Central Michigan University, an educational specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University, as well as a doctorate degree in educational leadership from Georgia Southern University, Reeves’ extensive experience has built a foundation that has enabled her to not only be a proficient educator, but aid in the development of her love of working with children.

“What I love most about my work as an educator and with children is the reward and gratification that I feel when my hard work pays off when students are successful,” Reeves said to the Palisadian-Post. “Early in my career as a teacher, I felt rewarded when my students were able to master concepts and standards as a result of my instructional practices.

“I would always look forward to receiving test results and data so that I could review which of my students were successful and find ways to improve my practice to increase their achievement levels.”

Reeves was born and raised in Southern California, but attended college in the south with the intention of studying pharmaceuticals, until she began working as a part-time substitute teacher and camp counselor during the summers.

There, she discovered her true passion working with kids, preempting her to change her major to elementary education.

During her senior year, she was awarded William Carey University’s “Elementary Educator of the Year,” and made the Dean and President’s List.

With a total of 15 years at the elementary, middle and high school levels, Reeves feels ready to lead and work with the staff, parents and students at Marquez Charter Elementary, as well as the Palisades community.

“I am most looking forward to establishing community and business partnerships in the Palisades, allowing our students to reach their fullest potential by providing accelerated learning and leadership opportunities, and increasing our student enrollment,” Reeves shared. “As a school leader, I still receive my reward and gratification when students are successful. Only now, I facilitate my same passion in the instructional staff that I supervise which gives me a larger reach because I ensure student success on a larger school wide scale.”

Reeves was drawn to Marquez, not only for its “impressive” parental engagement and student achievement data, but for what she sensed to be a strong sense of community.

Committed to her craft and thrilled to be serving the Palisades community and its stakeholders, Reeves looks forward to building lifelong relationships.

“What I love most are the lifelong connections that I’ve made with several of my students and families through the years. I still keep in touch with many of my former students by visiting them on their college campuses, attending their college graduations, and even their wedding ceremonies and baby showers,” Reeves concluded.