East Grand Rapids — Making an impact and providing support to those who need it — both are central to the educational ethos of new Lakeside Elementary Principal Jennafer Slanger, and both are at the heart of her decision to work in administration.
“I decided to get into education because of the impact that we can have and the support that we can provide to students,” Slanger said.
She said administration presents an opportunity to broaden and augment that impact to include students and teachers, across grade levels and classrooms, throughout a given building.
One of the most rewarding aspects of her job is “being able to really support and inspire both groups to come together as a collective whole,” and she’s delighted to have the opportunity to do just that at East Grand Rapids Public Schools.
‘I just love the opportunity to instill excitement in our students, make them excited to come every day and help support them along the way.’
— Lakeside Elementary Principal Jennafer Slanger
Slanger grew up playing basketball, volleyball and softball, and describes herself as outgoing, optimistic and active. She lives in Rockford with husband, Travis, and their two daughters, 14-year-old Avary and 13-year-old Ashtyn.
SNN spoke to Slanger at the start of her first year with the district.
Other positions you have held in education: This is Slanger’s 19th year in education. Prior to arriving at EGR, she spent eight years with Lowell Area Schools, four as the district’s literacy coach and four as the coordinator of student services.
She also spent 10 years teaching fourth grade at Toledo Blade Elementary in Sarasota County Public Schools, Florida.
What about jobs outside education? “When I was in middle school and high school, I worked for my uncle. We traveled to Chicago to the farmers market, so I’d work with him to sell all of his produce there,” Slanger said. “I grew up in the St. Joseph area, and my uncle had a big farm down there and all of his sales would be in Chicago.
“He’d sell at the farmers markets, he’d sell at restaurants … and my cousin and I would go with him.”
Education/degrees:
• Bachelor’s degree, elementary education, Cornerstone University
• Master’s degree, curriculum and instruction, National Louis University
• Master’s degree, educational leadership, American College of Education
Your perfect sandwich: “BLT, extra bacon, with avocado. Toasted bread.”
If you had to listen to one song the rest of your life: “I think my favorite song for the role I have at a school is maybe ‘Best Day of My Life’ by American Authors. I feel like, no matter what I’m doing or who I’m with, that’s such an inspirational song to just enjoy life.
“I’m a very optimistic person, and I feel like that song kind of connects with that outgoing personality. Just looking for the positive and thinking about making the best of every situation, and just living every day to the fullest.”
What book, movie, TV show or podcast have you loved lately? “I recently finished ‘The Women’ by Kristin Hannah, and although it is a fictional book, the author did a lot of research to really capture the Vietnam War, and what it was like for the men who fought in the war, but also the women who went over as nurses to support the soldiers. And just that perspective on how they were treated when they came back from war. So that was just a very eye-opening story to read, and I really enjoyed it.”
Name three great things about going into K-12 education: “I think first and foremost it’s the relationships that are built at all levels, but especially at the younger level,” Slanger said, noting that she particularly enjoys being the “first part of the educational journey” for students in grades K-5.
“Building those relationships with students at such a young age also helps us to really fuel that excitement for learning and for education,” she said. “I just love the opportunity to instill excitement in our students, make them excited to come every day and help support them along the way.
“We are really trying to support our children in reaching their goals — academically, behaviorally, social-emotionally — and being able to support and help them grow to be productive citizens in our world.”
How will you encourage student voice in your building? “The first step in including student voice is building those relationships with students and truly listening to their thoughts and opinions on day-to-day activities and curricular pieces. Just really gaining some insight and perspective on the school day and things they’re involved in.”
While she was at Lowell, she led a student leadership team, and she already has plans to carry that over to EGR, using a program that’s already in place.
“Here at Lakeside we have a group called Leading Lions, and that is a leadership opportunity for students in grades second through fifth. Those students have the opportunity to meet with me monthly, and we have different topics that we’ll be able to discuss about the school.”
Not only will students in the group be able to provide input themselves, they’ll also gather feedback from their fellow students, she said.
“They are a voice for their greater classroom and grade level,” she said, noting that there will be plenty of “opportunities for discussion and reflection and making decisions on ways we can improve what we do here at Lakeside for all of them.”
Looking at the year ahead, Slanger said she’s feeling “so grateful and honored to be part of not only the Lakeside school family, but the East Grand Rapids school district.”
“It’s really a great place. Our students are going to do great things.”
Read more from East Grand Rapids:
• Unconventional path leads ‘people person’ to new admin post
• East already ‘feels like home’ to new high school principal
