{"id":36399,"date":"2026-06-01T00:50:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T00:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/?p=36399"},"modified":"2026-06-01T00:50:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T00:50:43","slug":"schools-announce-leadership-transitions-at-lincoln-early-childhood-center-and-washington-elementary-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/?p=36399","title":{"rendered":"Schools Announce Leadership Transitions at Lincoln Early Childhood Center and Washington Elementary School"},"content":{"rendered":"

Westfield Public Schools is pleased to share important leadership updates involving Lincoln Early Childhood Center and Washington Elementary School.<\/h2>\n
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Dr. Tiffany Jacobson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Annie Corely-Hand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the May 12, 2026, Board of Education meeting, the Board voted on the transfer of assignment for Dr. Tiffany Jacobson to serve as the next Principal of Washington Elementary School. This transition will allow the district to begin planning and transition work immediately while providing time for Dr. Jacobson to support a seamless handoff at Lincoln and connect with the Washington school community prior to the start of the new school year.<\/p>\n

Dr. Jacobson has served in Westfield Public Schools since 2017, first as the district\u2019s English Language Arts Supervisor and, since 2020, as Principal of Lincoln Early Childhood Center. During her tenure at Lincoln, she has provided caring and steady leadership for the district\u2019s youngest learners and has led important instructional and programmatic initiatives, including work related to full-day kindergarten planning, early literacy, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and special education programming.<\/p>\n

Her background in curriculum, instruction, early childhood education, school leadership, and student support positions her well to lead Washington Elementary School into its next chapter. The district is grateful for Dr. Jacobson\u2019s leadership and the many ways she has supported students, staff, and families throughout the Westfield community.<\/p>\n

The district also extends its appreciation to Dr. Perry, who recently announced his retirement after years of dedicated service as Principal of Washington Elementary School. His leadership and commitment to the Washington school community have had a lasting impact on students, staff, and families.<\/p>\n

To support Lincoln Early Childhood Center during this transition, the Board also voted on the appointment of Annie Corley-Hand as Interim Principal of Lincoln for the upcoming school year.
\nMs. Corley-Hand brings extensive experience in early childhood education and leadership, including 14 years as Principal of the Mary Kay McMillin Early Childhood Center in Berkeley Heights.<\/p>\n

She is widely respected for her expertise in developmentally appropriate practice, inclusive programming, professional learning, and cultivating positive school culture. Her experience makes her exceptionally well-positioned to provide steady and knowledgeable leadership for Lincoln during this interim period.<\/p>\n

The interim structure at Lincoln is intentional as the district continues long-range planning for the implementation of full-day kindergarten in September 2028. As Lincoln\u2019s enrollment, programming, staffing, and administrative needs continue to evolve, the interim appointment will provide the district with the flexibility and time needed to determine the school\u2019s future administrative structure while ensuring experienced leadership remains in place.<\/p>\n

District leadership recognizes that transitions are important moments for school communities and will work closely with Dr. Jacobson, Ms. Corley-Hand, Dr. Perry, and staff at both schools to ensure a smooth and supportive transition for students and families.<\/p>\n

Both Lincoln Early Childhood Center and Washington Elementary School are strong and vibrant school communities, and the district is confident these leadership transitions will support continued success for students, staff, and families.<\/p>\n

About Atlantic Health System<\/strong><\/h6>\n
The Westfield Public School District serves more than 6,000 students across 10 schools in the heart of Union County, New Jersey. Guided by a commitment to academic excellence, student well-being, and community partnership, the district provides rigorous instruction, inclusive programming, and a nurturing learning environment for all students. Through ongoing professional learning and continuous improvement, Westfield educators strive to ensure that every student is prepared for success in college, career, and life. The District Administrative Office is located at 302 Elm Street, Westfield, New Jersey 07090. For more information, visit www.westfieldnjk12.org.<\/a><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Westfield Public Schools is pleased to share important leadership updates involving Lincoln Early Childhood Center and Washington Elementary School. At the May 12, 2026, Board of Education meeting, the Board voted on the transfer of assignment for Dr. Tiffany Jacobson to serve as the next Principal of Washington Elementary School. This transition will allow the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":36404,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[151],"tags":[],"post_flags":[],"class_list":["post-36399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-westfield-local"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36399"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36405,"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36399\/revisions\/36405"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/36404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36399"},{"taxonomy":"post_flag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.localmedianj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fpost_flags&post=36399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}